Of Demons and Angels
by Kat-Black6
Summary: It's barely been a year since Olduvai, and once again John and Kyra find themselves being thrown into the affairs of UAC. Blackmailed into taking part in a mission to investigate an outbreak in Europe, they find themselves facing Hell like never before.
1. Chapter 1

_**Snowdon Research Facility. Mount Snowdon of Wales, Great Britain.**_

"_All personnel evacuate to the Peak immediately. Level five quarantine is now under effect. This is not a drill." _The speakers repeated, echoing down empty, dark halls. Blood and dead bodies littered the floors, the walls, and every room. The whole place was a slaughter house, and she was the only one left alive. It was up to her now. She was the one who had to make it to the door in time and close it before anything got out. It was meant to close automatically when the alarm was activated, but somehow it didn't work, so she'd have to seal it manually. The fate of humanity could be on her shoulders right now, so she had to plan it smartly and do it right the first time.

It was a good run from here, so she'd have to be quick. There was no staying, for she would be found by one of those creatures eventually and they would kill her, or worse. For all she knew they could be waiting right there, waiting for her to jump out. The thought frightened her senseless. Oh, she was utterly terrified, literally trembling with fear and eyes wide from the horrors that had taken place. _Perhaps that's a good thing._ She thought. _It will make me run faster._ It wasn't an encouraging thought, but what did it matter. It had to be done.

Closing her eyes tightly and counting to three, she opened them and leaped out of her hiding place, running as fast as a cheetah cat toward the exit. She knew all those years in track would do her some good one day, only this sprint wasn't for first place, but for her life. Only moments later a tiny winged demon jumped down from its perch on the ceiling and pursued her, squealing in delight. She heard the sound and began whimpering as she ran, sensing the creature gaining on her from behind. The door was so close now. She might actually make it.

With one last burst of speed, she leaped over the threshold and swung round, whimpering desperately as she tried to punch in the code for the door. In the darkness of the bloody hall she came from, she could just see the creature flying at a frightening speed toward her.

"Come on." She pleaded, trying frantically to keep her hands from shaking so much so she could punch in the right numbers.

"_Emergency seal activated."_ The computer said, and she stepped back and watched as the massive, three meter thick door dropped down, sealing Hell behind it. The small creature chasing her squealed angrily and flew under it, but not quick enough. There was a sickening sound as the door crushed the demon under its weight.

She stopped and leaned against the nearest wall, gasping for breath and laughing while tears of relief came to her eyes.

"Thank you God! Thank you so much!" She praised, looking up before sliding to the floor. Nothing could get through that door. It would withstand a nuclear blast, and any of those monsters behind it. She was safe, the only one to get out alive. Now she had to warn UAC of the outbreak. This mountain wouldn't hold those things for the rest of eternity. Something had to be done.

After a few minutes of calming down, she stood back up and made her way to the Peak. The creatures never got into this part of the facility, so the halls were clean and didn't stink of death. If the train was working, she could take that to the bottom of the mountain. If not, then she'd have to walk all the way down and to the nearest village, which would take an hour and a half at the most. She'd have to call UAC, and then apply for an early retirement. A really early retirement.

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_**Immokalee, Florida, United States of America.**_

My body shot up in the bed, hot and sweaty, gasping for breath. The same fucking nightmare. Looking next to me, I found that John still wasn't home. When I looked at the clock it read 10:00. He should be home soon. He called me saying he'd have to stay at the school a little late because one of his kid's parents hadn't arrived yet to pick him up after the basketball game. Still, it was a little late to be waiting for your parents to pick you up. With a sigh I threw back the blankets and stepped out of bed.

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the faucet, letting the water run cold before leaning down and splashing it on my face. For a moment I stared down the drain, thinking about the dream. Like all the others it seemed real, and like all the others I woke up feeling hot and sweating like mad. How could it go on this long? It had been months since Olduvai, so why did I keep having these nightmares _ever single night_? Not once have I had a peaceful night's sleep. Every time I seem to relive the experience, death to death. Even Goat and his duel in the holding cell with the large demon I came to know as my brother. I was supposed to be dead when that happened, but in these dreams I witness every second, and feel every ounce of pain. The nightmare always seems to linger the most around the glass case containing Lucy and her child. Why?

Maybe these dreams were trying to tell me something. I'm reliving it because I keep missing some important detail, and my mind won't let me rest until I see it. I didn't think there was anything else to know. Grivok explained everything to me during his sacrifice, but there's always the chance he lied. There just aren't any clues. Nothing that I haven't seen before or don't already know. These stupid nightmares are just meant to torment me!

I angrily yanked the towel off the rack and pressed it against my face, taking in a deep breath before wiping away the water. The wash cooled me down a little and I tossed the towel to the floor. For a few seconds I continued to stare down the drain, then averted my eyes to the mirror to look at myself. Instead I saw someone else in the reflection. Someone that shouldn't even be walking on the face of this earth anymore. I screamed and jumped, turning around to meet the eyes of the dead man in the mirror. There was nothing.

Putting a hand over my racing heart, I relaxed slightly. _It's just my mind playing tricks on me._

"_Kyra_."

I went still again and stopped breathing, listening intently for a voice I swore I heard. It was a faraway whisper, and it echoed off the walls.

"_Kyra._"

"John, is that you?" I shouted at nothing.

"_Kyra. Kyra._"

"Who's there?" I turned around in circles, trying to find the source of the voice. It kept calling my name over and over again, and eventually I rushed out of the bathroom and closed its door, hoping that it would block out the sound.

"_Kyra._"

I jumped again and backed away from the door, the back of my legs hitting the bed, making me fall onto it. Quickly I sat up and looked around the dark room, scared senseless of this voice that I couldn't identify. It continued to say my name, and then it sounded like there was more than one voice. They were all around me and I put my hands over my ears to block them out, closing my eyes tight.

"Stop it! Please!" I screamed.

"_Save me, Kyra._"

I opened my eyes at the sound of new words and looked up. Screaming I scooted back until my back hit the headboard. It was Will, standing in front of me and looking like he did almost seven years ago. He was seventeen then, and he was staring at me with a solemn, hurt expression on his face. I couldn't pull my eyes away from his unnaturally grey pupils. Somehow it didn't look like him, but I knew it was.

"_Save me._"

I shook my head and a tear ran down my cheek.

"_Save me._"

"I can't!" I screamed again.

"_Save me._"

"You're dead! I tried to save you and I couldn't! Leave me alone! Please!"

His image suddenly changed until he was as bald and naked as he was when he changed back. I looked on in horror, wondering what this was.

"_Save me, Kyra._"

His image changed again to a thirteen year old boy, dirty wet cheeks, scruffy dirty blond hair, and unwashed clothes. It was a likeness of him that I remembered well after Mom's death. He never changed his clothes or brushed his hair, but I never recalled seeing him shed tears.

"_Help me._" He said in a young, childish voice.

"I tried." I whispered, shaking my head and taking the sheets in a firm grip.

"_No._" He answered flatly.

"I did. I tried to help you but you seemed alright." I almost pleaded.

"_No._"

"Yes, I know you weren't. It was a mistake. Can't you forgive me?" The tears flooded from my eyes.

He never answered, but his image took the cleaner younger form of a ten-year-old. I saw that he had a purpled, swollen eye from when he got in a fight with some boys at school. I was there when that happened, and earned my fair share of black eyes and bruises.

"_You always fought for me._"

I nodded and leaned forward, wanting to touch him but somehow knew that he was just an illusion.

"Yes. You could always count on me back then." I answered.

"_Yes. Save me._"

"You're dead! There's nothing else I can do!"

"_No._"

"Then what can I do? Tell me and I'll do it!"

"_When they come, remember that it is your responsibility._"

I looked at him in confusion. "What? Who will come? What's my responsibility? Tell me Will!"

"_Remember._" His voice echoed once again, and he repeated the word over and over, morphing into different forms of my brother each time. Eventually he stopped in his twenty-four year old figure, the one I had seen in the pictures he sent me. His hair was spiked and swerved off to the side slightly. He had broad shoulders and was dressed in uniform, looking as handsome as ever. To see what he used to be brought me to a weeping wreck on the bed, and I watched his image fade away. My wails reverberated down the halls, and the front door to the house opened.

"I'm home." John announced, waiting for a reply whilst setting his gym bag down on the living room couch. When no one answered he went into the kitchen, seeing if I was there. It occurred to him that it was late and that I'd be asleep, so he went upstairs. Then he heard my cries and rushed to the bedroom, opening the door to the dark room and seeing me curled up on the sheets of the bed. He quickly approached and sat down on the bed, gently taking me into an embrace. It had to be another nightmare, he thought. So he did what he always did and just tried to comfort me in his arms till the horrors passed. I buried my face in his chest and gripped his shirt, grieved and confused as to what I just experienced. It was like nothing I'd seen before. Maybe I was finally going crazy, and seeing dead people. Who knows when I'll start seeing people from my squad again, like Kid, Goat, and Mac. How much longer could this go on?

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It was an early Monday morning, and I was cooking breakfast in the kitchen. I usually didn't get up early to cook, but today John was going to the airport in Orlando to pick up Sam. She was coming to visit for a few weeks. It's a long drive, so I wanted him to have a full stomach. I was also in a good mood, for we made love again last night. Soon enough I heard him coming down the stairs.

"What's this?" He asked, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waste. He took a good sniff. "Smells good."

"I figured you'd want something filling for breakfast today instead of cereal. There's scrambled eggs, toast, bacon and sausage. I wasn't sure which you'd prefer, so I cooked both."

"Then I will have both." He kissed my shoulder and started going up my neck, hitting my ticklish spot. I smiled and he turned me around. "And more." He leaned in and covered my mouth with his in a deep kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck in response, and a few seconds later he pulled away.

"Mmm, is there a main course with that?" I asked. He grinned and attacked my neck, speaking in between kisses.

"There's… always… a main… course." He raised his head and looked at me. "Tonight."

"While your sister is in the house?"

"Hmm, ever thought of soundproofing the rooms?"

"I'm sure we could find a way to keep the noise down." I laughed.

"Uhuh, you're burning the eggs, sweetheart."

"Shit." I cursed, breaking out of his hold and returning my attention to the food. I picked the pan up and scraped the eggs onto a separate plate, saving them just in time.

I served the food and we sat down across from each other, discussing plans for the day.

"So what's the game plan?" I asked, taking a mouthful of bacon.

"Well, I'll pick her up at about twelve o'clock, eat lunch, then drive back and be home at about four. Depends on traffic. You?"

"Clive is sponsoring a rock climbing trip today and needs someone to watch the shop, so I'll be there from about 8:00 to 3:00."

"Uhuh…" He hung suspiciously. "Clive asks you to do a lot of things. What else to you do for him."

"Jonathan Kelly Grimm!" I pointed my fork at him with a scolding look on my face. He quickly dropped all eating utensils and raised his hands.

"Alright, woman! I'm just yanking your chain, and don't even mention my middle name. I hate that name."

"You are so goddamn territorial and _paranoid_ sometimes. So if you continue to act that way then I _will_ use your middle name, Kelly."

"Kyra." He warned.

"Kelly, Kelly, Kelly."

"Keep it up and you'll get nothing tonight."

"You and I both know that your testosterone will not allow you to restrain your sexual impulses. Not if I can help it." I laughed.

He leaned in and said calmly to avoid anything further being said on the subject.

"I didn't… mean it."

I returned my fork to the sausage and softened my features, returning to breakfast without another word. We had these light, teasing arguments a lot, like we always have really. That certainly hadn't changed in our relationship.

It had been almost a year since Olduvai. About ten months ago we'd bought a house out in the country near a town called Immokalee. It was pretty close to the middle of no where, and the residents could care less who we were and what our backgrounds were. John was the basketball coach at their local school, and he got a luxurious pay check out of it. I worked at the Outdoor Recreation center, sponsoring outdoor trips like kayaking, hiking, rock climbing etc. In all, we lived a normal, average lifestyle out in the country with no ties to our past whatsoever. When in public we were Karl Hamilton and Alex Moore from Alabama. No one questioned it, no one cared.

Duke and Destroyer both lived in New York. They were still in the military, but had months of R&R to recover from the Mars incident. In that time Destroyer sent us news that he and his wife were going to have a baby. He seemed extremely excited about it. Duke lived close to them in his own apartment, still healing from the wounds he suffered. Only recently they had returned to action. Sam was a professor at the University of Maryland, and had been planning to come and see us in Florida once she could get time off. I had spent some money turning the spare room into a guest room for when she came.

I kissed John goodbye, and he got in the black pickup truck and drove out of the long, dirt driveway. For a moment I leaned against the door and watched him disappear behind the house. Then, feeling a little tense, I turned to go back into the house. At the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of something shining across the field. Curious, I looked toward it and saw a white car parked on the road a good distance away. That was strange. No one in town drove a fancy little car like that, and why would it be parked out in the middle of the countryside.

I stared at it for a while, waiting to see if someone stepped out. Though my eye sight was dramatically improved after the mutation, the car was still too far to see properly. However, I could see that it had black tinted windows, making it impossible to see what was on the inside. Now that certainly tweaked my instincts warily, and I decided to keep a suspicious eye on the car. Slowly I went back into the house, deciding to clean the dishes and head straight for work.

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Tucking the red dirt bike helmet under my arm, I slipped the gloves on and stepped out of the house, heading for the shed in the backyard. I was fully dressed in Red Fox motorcycle wear, specifically for riding dirt bikes and quad bikes. Once stepping into the shed, I slipped the helmet on and pressed the goggles down, pushing the dirt bike out and onto the road. I leaped onto the bike, sticking the key in and stomping down on the starter. The machine came roaring to life. I warmed the engine by pressing the gas a few times, and then kicked the gear up and shot forward.

As I flew past the road with the white car parked on it, I turned my head and watched it for a few seconds before pressing the gas even harder and going at an illegal speed to town. Of course, when I neared, I slowed down. When I arrived at the Outdoor Rec. building, I saw Clive outside strapping a few kayaks to the trailer behind his van. Parking and leaning my bike against the building, I took my helmet off and approached him, and he gave a welcoming smile.

"You don't plan on kayaking up that mountain do you?" I asked with a grin, running my eyes along the boats.

"Nah, course not. Same ol' people are coming along, and they all know how to kayak, so I'm going to take them down the river after the rock climbing."

I grinned and eyed him suspiciously.

"You overestimate your guests, Clive. You know that it'll take them forever to get up that mountain and you'll have no time for kayaking."

He gave a snort and crossed his arms over his chest. Clive was a small man, but with a lot of muscle. He was the ultimate outdoorsman, who could run up 23 miles of mountains in six hours and camp out in the wild on his own for weeks. The man had more stamina than a horse, and the stubbornness of a mule. If he started the mountain, he was going to finish it. Being more than equally fit and good at toughing things out, he hired me as an excellent accomplice on these hard hikes and difficult climbs. It kept me in good shape, and I've learned more survival tactics than I ever did in the military. John also joined on these backpacking challenges whenever possible.

"If they couldn't handle it then they shouldn't have signed up." Clive continued, tightening the strap to secure one of the boats.

"You're supposed to influence people to do more outdoorsy stuff, not scare them away from it." I laughed.

"That's why I make it _look_ easy."

"Ok, however you wanna do it. Anything you need help with?"

He put his hands on his hips and sighed while looking around, as if trying to find something worth doing.

"Well, one of the canoes needs repairing. It's in the back. Other than that, all I need you to do is keep an eye on the shop while I'm gone. Maybe give it a clean up if you get bored or something."

"Will do." I saluted, already heading to the back.

"Hey, and Buck needs a good exercise! The old boy is getting fat!" He shouted after me, and I waved my hand in reply, disappearing around the back of the building. Suddenly a bark sounded and I heard the sound of four big, pawed feet running toward me. I stopped and waited for a blur of gray fur to slide around from behind the storage shed, and soon enough it came, slobber, wagging tale and all.

"Hey Buck!" I called, putting my hands on my knees and grinning at him. He barked again and charged, jumping up and into my arms, where I caught him. The dog really shouldn't be doing that, for he's quite big. He's a gray Siberian Husky, and an old one at that, but still fit and oiled enough to run a few miles. He whined excitedly as he tried to lick my face, and I quickly put him down. John always complained when I came home and my face smelled like dog drool when he kissed me.

"Settle down boy." I soothed, kneeling down and roughly rubbing my hands along his back and strong neck. His legs jumped around anxiously, and he began going round in circles. Then he dropped down and rolled onto his back, begging for a belly rub, which I gave.

"I've only been gone a day. You can't have missed me that much."

He didn't acknowledge my words and hung his head back lazily as I scratched his tummy. Soon his leg began moving back and forth very quickly, and I softly chuckled at the sight. He was the most adorable thing, and I couldn't get enough of his energetic, friendly behavior.

"You wanna go for a walk!" I said excitedly, and he leaped up and barked. He certainly knew what 'walk' meant, and it was probably the only word in the human language that he understood. "Come on." I urged, walking into the shop to retrieve his leash. Immediately after I took it down from the hook, he took the rope in his jaws and began tugging. I kneeled down and easily dragged him back, then hooked the clip on his collar.

"Alright boy, let's go."

With the leash still in his mouth, we walked out of the shop and into the front, where a group of five people were standing around Clive. When he saw me he nodded his head.

"I'm heading out, Alex. I'll be back around 2:00, ok?" He called, and I waved back at his words.

Buck started tugging at the leash again, begging me to move, and I started walking again. The dog sure had some pride. He walked around with his nose in the air and the leash in his mouth like he was walking _me_.

People greeted me as we passed by. Everyone knew me, and I knew them. It was a small town, filled with old timers and youngins at every age. I had walked through it twice already in twenty minutes, and was heading back to the shop when I saw a white car drive passed me. My pace slowed and I watched it go, parking outside Mary's diner. A moment later two men stepped out in black suits, and I stopped in my tracks. Buck continued to tug impatiently, but stopped when his backside hit something solid. He turned around looked up into the dark shades of one of the men. For a few seconds the man just stared down at the dog. Then he followed the leash and looked at me. It was along time of silence. Just me and him staring at each other, and I got a very suspicious hunch. Something about him screamed danger, and I trusted my instinct.

"Nice dog." The man then said flatly, before walking into the diner with his partner.

"Come on Buck." I quickly urged, looking behind me frequently. There was something about those men that I really didn't like, and it was obvious that well-dressed folk like that had no business being in this old town. Something was wrong. I could sense it by the sensitive hairs on the back of my neck. It was a relief when I finally reached the security of the shop.

During the long hours I patched up the canoe, tended to three customers, and did find myself bored enough to clean up the shop. I dusted, swept, and re-organized everything, finishing just in time for lunch. Buck and I then went down to the Diner and got our food. The white car wasn't there anymore.

When Clive finally came back, I helped him put everything away. It was almost 3:00 by the time it was all done, and I said goodbye before getting on my bike again and heading home.

I was speeding at over a hundred miles per hour down the dirt road, leaving a thick trail of turned up dust in the air. The house appeared in the distance, a white jewel against the golden fields of grass around it. Secluded and peaceful, away from the rest of the world. I suppressed a smile when I noticed something else. On the adjoining road, in the same place, was that white car, gleaming brightly against the sun. It was the same that passed me in town, and I was a little tired of this. If someone was following me, I wanted to know who and give them a piece of my mind.

I prepared to make the next turn and stop beside the car to knock on its window, but then I thought better. That wouldn't be such a smart idea, especially if I wasn't armed. If the car is following me, the person driving it obviously wants something, so I better go prepared if I'm going to go at all. So, I skipped the road and went straight to the house, dropping the bike quickly and going inside. I went upstairs and into the bedroom, heading for the bed. There I got down on my knees and reached under it, sliding a leather black box out. Typing in the combination, it popped open and I pulled the lid up, revealing a neat array of knives. Randomly picking one, I slid it into my boot and relocked the case, sticking it back under the bed.

Angrily muttering to myself about having a fucking stalker, I stopped and forced myself to think about it. Who on earth would be stalking me? _UAC and the military. _That thought didn't sit comfortably with me, and I slowly went down the stairs and peaked out the window by the door. If it was UAC or the military, I'd have to ditch everything and make a run for it. Maybe I should call John.

I went into the kitchen and picked up the phone, dialing his cell. Putting it to my ear, I went back to the window and continued to watch the car. The phone rang a few times before he finally picked up.

"_Hey."_

"It's Kyra."

"_Hey sweetheart. I'm almost home, maybe about fifteen minutes out."_

"Ok, but could you hurry?"

"_What's wrong?"_

I hesitated and spoke my next words in an intense tone of concern.

"There's a white car that's been following me around all day. It's parked across the field right now, and I haven't seen anyone get out just yet. I'm a little… concerned about it. It could be UAC. They're the only people that could possibly be looking for us."

"_It's been following you?"_

"I think."

There was a pause.

"_Are you sure it's UAC."_

"No, I don't know who it is, but you have to trust me on this John. I've got a really bad feeling."

Suddenly there was a crash, like breaking glass in the living room, and I jumped. Old habits kicked in and the knife was in my hand in a second.

"_What was that?"_

"I think someone just broke into the house." I answered anxiously, my heart abruptly starting to race in my chest. My eyes were fixed on the kitchen door, waiting for someone to enter. I could hear footsteps coming down the hall, and a moment later two men in black suits rushed in, pointing silver pistols at me. They didn't hesitate, and fired. I gasped and dropped the phone, my hand suddenly going numb. Then my legs collapsed and I hit the floor, paralyzed from head to toe. I could hear John's voice shouting through the phone on the floor. The two men took my arms and chained them behind my back, and then my ankles. One then turned me over and put a needle in my arm. It was all over almost as soon as it started, and I could hardly register what had happened. A sudden wave of drowsiness possessed me, and a few seconds later my eyes drooped shut, and I blacked out.

* * *

**School will be starting back in less than three weeks for me, and I will do my best to get as much done in that time before schoolwork consumes it all. I have already decided to commit all my free time to writing this story, for I really have nothing else I'd rather do after school other than homework. So, updates may still be weekly. I will do my best. This is a quick start to the story because I didn't want to bore you all with a chapter based on their daily life after Olduvai. I think what I put in this chapter was just enough to update you all on how they coped. Things will pick up very quickly in the next chapter, and you can count on a few surprises in this story. It will be more affiliated with the actual game than before. Already I have small thoughts about a sequel to _this_ story. We'll see.**

** Well, please review!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

The atmosphere was very thick in here, and very hot. Beads of sweat leaked from my brow, plastering my hair to my face. My arms felt numb, aching annoyingly behind me, and my wrists were being pinched by warm metal. Very slowly I lifted my head and opened my eyes, flexing my neck till it made an audible pop. That felt better. I found myself sitting upright in a chair in front of a large metal table, with a blinding light beaming down from the ceiling. Squinting, I looked around warily, observing the surroundings. Other than me and the table, there was nothing in the tiny room but a steel door and a large black mirror to my right. The black mirror gave it all away. This was an interrogation room.

The source of the heat was obviously the intense light, and it certainly didn't help my pounding headache. An after-effect of the drug they gave me, probably. And who was 'they'. I'm being watched right now, so I'll know the answer to that question. The interrogation would begin soon, I guessed.

Straightening my stiff back, I tried to stretch my legs, but discovered that they were chained to the chair. They sure weren't taking any chances. I then began pulling at the cuffs on my wrists, trying to break the metal, but it was amazingly strong. Not even the slightest moan of the metal telling me that it was being stretched. Either hand-cuffs have been improved dramatically, or these people know about my mutation. Sighing in frustration, I gave up and tried to shake the hair out of my eyes. The door then opened, and my eyes shot toward it to see someone enter. I was a little surprised to see a woman, dressed in a formal coat and skirt, with black high heels and thin, clear glasses. She had long black hair pulled back in a tight bun, and a passive, stony expression. Without even sparing me a glance, she sat down in a chair across the table, folding her hands together and resting them on the cold surface. There was a long moment of silence.

"Hello Kyra." Her clear, somewhat deep voice said. I didn't respond, finding an interest in the logos and textures on the motorcycle pants I still wore. No wonder I was so hot.

"My name is Emily. I'm sure you have some questions to ask me."

I looked up, surprised by her words. My assumption was that she would be asking _me_ questions. What about, I wasn't sure.

"What's with the cuffs? Afraid I might go on a killing spree?" I asked sarcastically, for right now I felt like a convict, being chained to a chair with a bright light in my eyes. She didn't seem amused.

"We're fully aware of your abilities, Miss Lucas, and of the motives you would have for assaulting someone to attempt escape."

I chuckled. _Motives? Yeah, I've got plenty of reasons to get aggressive, considering you people kidnapped me, whoever you are._

"Who's we? UAC or military?" It was obvious she was one or the other.

"I work for both sectors." She answered coolly.

"Both?"

"UAC and the military have recently formed an alliance, ever since the incident on Mars. The one you and four others witnessed intimately."

I sneered.

"That's a delicate way to put it."

"I'm not here to upset you over a delicate subject."

"Then what are you here for." I said sharply, though she didn't seem intimidated. For a few seconds she paused with a stony expression on her face, not impressed by my hostility.

"Primarily, to make a deal, but I have been asked to answer questions you have for me."

"You want to make a deal with me?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes."

I didn't like the idea once it left her mouth. If UAC wanted a deal, then it was obviously going to cost something big. If they actually were affiliated with the military, then John and I were in trouble. We were AWOL soldiers, and the military wasn't going to let that go. They would put us in prison for the rest of service, which for me was another two years, and John's would be longer since he's been enlisted for longer. His could be up to six or seven years. Whether the military knows we're still alive or not is only a matter of time.

"What's the deal?" I asked.

"It's best if you know the whole story, before we go into that." I nodded and patiently waited for her to continue.

"As you know, there was an Ark in Nevada discovered twenty years ago leading to Mars. Just fifteen years ago something amazing was discovered after an expedition through the mine shafts of Mt. Snowdon in Wales. A large cavern covered in hieroglyphics drawn by those from the ancient civilization on Mars themselves. We built another facility inside the mountain, shutting down all public access. There, further research on the ancient civilization from Mars was conducted."

"After months of research, an archaeologist named Marcus McHenry discovered something in the drawings. They were instructions to a gateway, a gateway deep in Mars' crust below Olduvai. Immediately an undercover operation began, and they found the path to this gateway. The hieroglyphics arching around the gate described a place of evil souls, a place we call Hell. Outside it was another Ark."

I interrupted. "I had been in every corner of that facility. There was never any sign of some pathway going down to this 'Hell's Gate', and no information we found even hinted there ever was one."

"It was a completely separate operation. The only entrance was through another Ark, which we placed in the Snowdon Research Facility. Not even Dr. Carmack and the people working on Olduvai knew about it. It was strictly undercover."

"So what was Carmack's job?"

She straightened herself, her chest swelling as she took in a deep breath. Though she wanted to avoid the subject of Olduvai, it seemed I was insistent.

"To experiment with C24, as you know. Over the years our supervision of his research slacked, and he managed to get a hold of a human specimen. He broke the laws of our sector doing that, and would have been condemned to spend the rest of his life in prison for it."

"He got what he deserved in the end." I said coldly, remembering the fate of the old scientist. "He died the monster he was."

She knew it was best not to answer to that, and quickly re-tracked the subject.

"After years of more research on the hieroglyphics, it was discovered how to activate the Gate. Cutting long story short, they controlled it and began taking demons from the Gate to the facility here on Earth."

I gaped at her in shock. Had they lost their minds? _Bringing_ demons to Earth, endangering it enough to bring it to its doom.

"The creatures were contained and studied, controlled by a chip installed in their brains. Ever since then there have been no problems with keeping them contained."

I began shaking my head with an un-amused smile on my face. I knew where this was going.

"And now things have gone wrong, and you want me to do something about it. I honestly don't know what drives you people to do these amazingly _stupid_ things." I spat, and again she wasn't intimidated.

"A day ago we received a distress call from one of our employees in Snowdon. She reported that there was an outbreak when a flood caused a blackout in the facility. She said she was the only one to escape alive, and that the outbreak was secured inside the mountain. UAC understands that serious action must be taken, and the military has agreed to take part. However, we knew that we needed some very special people. People who had dealt with this kind of thing before. People with some very special abilities."

She paused and I looked at her knowingly.

"How did you know I had the mutation?" I asked lowly.

"The civilians you rescued from Olduvai described the amazing stamina of a female Marine. We knew you had to have been exposed to C24, and your partner, John."

My eyes narrowed suspiciously, and I felt anger rise.

"Where is he?"

"He's fine."

"_Where_ is he?"

"He's in the next room, being briefed on the situation as you are."

"And what about Sam, his sister? She would have been with him."

"She's being taken good care of in our lounge."

Still I kept a suspicious eye on her, finding it hard to believe her. UAC had a habit of being distrustful, and deceitful. It was difficult to detect lies in such a flat voice, and a passive face.

"The military knows you and John are alive, and are condemned to prison for absence without official leave. You are also condemned to prison for the destruction of UAC property."

I grinned. _Oh yeah, it seems I did manage to blow their entire facility in Nevada to pieces. _There was a long pause, and I looked her in the eye.

"Unless?"

"Unless you return to your military duties as a soldier, and go to the outbreak in Europe. If you go and complete your mission, you and John will have a full pardon from the military, and the charges against you, dropped. You will be granted with an honorable discharge, and never have to return to action again."

"I don't even know what the fucking mission is, and there's a fat chance John and I will be going into that place by ourselves. I'd rather go to prison, personally."

"A squad has already been organized specially for this mission. The best soldiers from all over the world."

"The best? Then you really are taking this seriously?"

"Of course. If any one of these demons breaks into the real world, the outcome would be catastrophic. Dr. Grimm gave us detailed information on how things quickly grew out of control on Olduvai, telling us that these creatures were capable of 'infecting' not only humans, but animals as well. We want the entire Snowdon facility cleansed, and we want you and John to lead the way."

"How many are in this squad you've arranged?"

"Eight."

I had to smile and laugh at that.

"Eight? How many monsters are you expecting us to fight in this place?"

"There were over a hundred specimens, and eighty personnel."

I looked at her like she was insane and scoffed. "For an operation like this, that's no where near enough. Do you have any idea how lethal each and every one of those demons can be? You'll need an army."

"Each and every one of the eight people in that squad is _worth_ an army. If you think the people in your RRTS squad were the best, then you haven't even gotten a taste of the true lethality of a talented soldier. I promise you, these people are the finest you'll ever encounter."

"Yeah, and I'll believe that when I see it."

She paused.

"Does that mean you're considering it?"

I looked down at my pants again and closed my eyes, thinking very hard about this. Olduvai was a complete nightmare, through and through, and I've tried hard to rid my mind of the visual memories still plaguing it. It isn't easy to forget something like that. The gore, the screams, the evil, and the loss. I lost friends there. Good men with good hearts that I cared about. Even Portman, despite how much of an asshole he was, I didn't want him to die like that. No one deserves to die like that. They were brave and honorable men, and they looked after each other, and they looked after me. I don't want more good people to lose their lives against these things, and I know, no matter what, that people will die if they go into Snowdon. It's something that can't be avoided.

But John and I can help prevent it. We've seen it, experienced it, and survived it, so that sure would count for something. These eight soldiers being asked to go into Hell have no idea what they're getting into, and neither did we when we first entered Olduvai. I can't let that happen to them too, knowing that they'll be taken by surprise and not get out alive.

"It's probably best that I talk to John about it." I finally said to her.

"Of course. I'll escort you to the lounge."

With that she stood, reaching into her jacket to pull out some keys. Kneeling down, she unlocked the cuffs around my ankles and took my arm, lifting me out of the chair. I decided it wouldn't be such a good idea to just kick her ass and make a run for it. They found out how to immobilize me with the single shot of a drug, so it's unlikely I'd make it out with John and Sam anyway. She took me out the door and into a shining white hallway, and straight through the door across from us. When I stepped inside, immediately Sam came into view, and she looked at me anxiously, standing from her seat at a couch. The woman unlocked my cuffs, and I gave a gasp of relief as I stretched my arms. She then exited, and I walked toward Sam.

"Are you alright?" She quickly asked me. "What did they do?"

"I'm fine. They had me chained to a chair in one of those interrogation rooms."

"Was John with you?"

"No. She said John was in another room."

"You should have seen him after your phone call. He nearly killed us getting to the house at the speed he drove. Once we stepped in the door two men shot us with tranquilizers, and brought us here."

"She'll bring him in here in a moment."

Just then the door opened again, and we turned. Soon enough he appeared, and I ran to him, wrapping my arms around his waste before he could even see who was in the room. When he discovered that it was me, he quickly hugged me back and practically lifted me off the ground.

"Kyra! Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" He asked anxiously.

"I'm fine." I mumbled into his shoulder, so happy he was ok. He pulled away and touched my face, looking me in the eyes.

"You sure?"

"John, I'm alive aren't I?"

He half smiled and kissed me before noticing that Sam was in the room, whom he treated with the same concerned and anxious attention. Minutes later we were sitting down on the leather couches, discussing what we'd been told. John was given the same history lesson by the man talking to him, and told the stakes. We talked about the deal for almost an hour before we finally came near to a solution. Everything was considered. From the actual amount of danger involved, to the consequences of just letting it go. A thought kept nagging at the back of my head, something about last night when I encountered my brother.

"_When they come, remember that it is your responsibility."_

Yes, in a way this outbreak was our responsibility. We witnessed and discovered things on Olduvai that could be extremely beneficial when encountering it again. We knew more about fighting demons than anyone else, and we had the mutations. It was a very difficult decision, but there was a lot at stake. If even a single demon got out of that mountain, it could infect people for miles, and chaos would break loose. We could prevent that from happening. After another long hour of debate, we made the decision.

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When I stepped out of the chopper, my feet were met with soft, wet grass. The sky was a dreary grey, dropping a light shower. A thin fog made things look all the more miserable. So this was Wales. I always did view it as a green place that suffered incessant rain, which is a huge change in climate compared to Florida. It was also quite chilly.

Less than two hours after we made our decision, UAC had John and me on a private plane straight to England. They escorted us back to the house to let us pack what we needed. I called Clive, telling him that I would be leaving on an emergency call. When he asked how long, I said I didn't know. It almost broke my heart saying so, not knowing whether I would be back at all, and not being able to tell him the truth. He was a good friend, and I'd miss him. John contacted the school with the same excuse, though they weren't happy about his sudden disappearance. He then sent an email to Destroyer and Duke, explaining briefly what was happening, and that Sam was coming to stay with them. John refused to let her come, despite her protests.

We would meet at a military base in Wales, but from that point on we had no idea what was going to happen. I looked back as John jumped down and met his eyes. He observed our surroundings and heaved a sigh.

"Just as bleak as I thought." He muttered, putting a hand on my back and pushing me forward. The helicopter rose and took off once we were clear of the pad, and I chucked my bag over my shoulder. Ahead of us was a single, large building, headquarters. Once we entered, we were met with a man dressed in uniform, and he asked us to follow him. The building was very active, with officers walking from room to room filled with computers. Each was bordered with clear glass, so we could see what was going on on the inside. There was a large screen on the wall with a full map of what I thought was the Snowdon facility. Before I could study it properly, we were led into a separate room.

Inside it looked exactly like a briefing room. It had a long table with twelve or so chairs placed around it. At the end there was another screen on the wall with the UAC logo currently projected onto it. Sitting around the table were men and women, some dressed as officers, others in regular business suits with UAC name tags on their chests. All their eyes were on us when we entered. The officer left and closed the door behind us, and we were asked to sit by a gruff, commanding voice. When I looked to see who it belonged to, I suddenly came face to face with a general. It was easy to tell by the many-colored bars on his uniform.

Casually John and I took our seats at the far end of the table, resting our bags beside us. There was a short moment of silence amongst the obviously important people, and I was a little uneasy about their stares. Some were imposing, while others curious, particularly by those of UAC. They seemed intent on finding something inhuman about us. I began anxiously rubbing my fingers together with my elbows resting on the table, and glanced at John when he laid a hand on my thigh. He gave me an encouraging look, and visibly I relaxed.

"Welcome Corporal Lucas, Lieutenant Grimm." The same voice said, and both our eyes were fixed on the general.

"_Corporal _Grimm." John corrected.

"Then congratulations, you've just been promoted. Past records compliment your cool, leadership properties, which I plan on using for this mission."

"You're making _me_ lead these people into Snowdon?" John asked, shocked. "Shouldn't someone who knows them be in charge? I've never even seen these guys."

"Son, they don't even know each other. We took these people from various places all over the world. Some of them aren't even from the same continent. We'll give you three days of bonding time with your men before we send you into the facility."

"Three days? That's no where near eno-"

"Don't question it! We don't have all the time in the world here, lieutenant! From what I understand less than twenty people out of over a hundred made it out of Olduvai alive, and not with mild injuries. This is serious, and the less time we waste the better."

"Sir, I am fully aware of how serious this is! But if I am leading these men straight into Hell then I need to have their respect, faith, and loyalty." John hassled, tapping his hand on the table to stress his point.

"I understand, but you underestimate these men, lieutenant. Not only are they amazing soldiers, but they are good people. They're not stupid, and they know what they're getting into. They will follow your orders without hesitation."

"Oh, so you told them what they were getting into? _Everything_? About all the death and the gore and the fucking monsters?" He almost spat, and I put a hand on his shoulder to turn him to me.

"Calm down." I whispered, or he was going to get us on bad terms with the general.

"We've told them everything we know, which is very little. We're depending on you to tell them the rest." The general said with an edge in his tone. I sensed he was getting slightly aggravated. John sat back in his chair running a hand across his face, so I took over.

"Sir…" I began with some hesitation, contemplating on how to put this without annoying him further. "This is a very serious situation. We have seen these things and experienced horrors that you haven't even seen in your darkest nightmares. We lost our friends on Olduvai." I hesitated again. "And I lost my brother. We know _exactly_… how serious this is, and that's why we're here now. John is right; he needs to know these people before going in there, because their lives are in his hands."

The general sighed and leaned forward, placing a hand on the table and staring at it for a moment to think. Then he raised his head and looked at us both.

"Look, we have already briefed them on the mission. We will give schematics and blueprints of the facility, details on every objective. This is not easy for any of us, but we just have to cope."

"Perhaps it's best if we just start from the beginning, sir."

He nodded. "Very well. I am General Hamilton, this is Major Jean, your briefing officer."

A skinny, red-headed man to his left nodded.

"Dr. Blake, head of UAC. Dr. Anderson, his chief advisor. Captain Morrison of the Royal Air Force."

He introduced everyone down the table, before finally stopping and looking back at us.

"Now, Major Jean, if you please." He looked to the man on his left, who nodded and turned in our direction.

"These are the mission files, containing information on your objectives and layouts of the facility." He slid a folder down the table, and John grabbed it, flipping through its contents.

"Your primary objective is to cleanse the facility of any demonic life form, and all who are infected. Also, to retrieve research. The scientists gathered important information on these creatures, so it's crucial that you get as much as you can and bring it back. Your other objective is to rescue any survivors, if there are any at all. Dr. Blake, if you will."

The head of UAC stood.

"Now, there are two primary sectors of the facility." He took the remote sitting by his hand and pressed a button, and a map appeared on the screen. "Here-" A larger portion of the map glowed. "And here. The southern sector, this larger area, is where all the research and containment resides. The northern is where the employees lived. In the case that any of the specimens managed to escape its containment, an automatic security system activates, blocking anything from the southern sector to get into the northern sector with a door. However, the security system failed, and the door didn't close. The lone survivor of the outbreak said she managed to close the door before anything got out."

"Excuse me." I interrupted. "Exactly how strong is this door? I do recall a steel door about twelve inches thick was ripped clean through by one of these things whilst on Olduvai. So it better be pretty damn strong."

"It's three meters thick, made of the hardest steel and diamonds. Virtually indestructible. Nothing will get through it. Now, when you enter the facility at the peak of the mountain, your squad may make yourselves comfortable in the northern sector. It could be your… base of operations, if you please. A safe haven. However, once you pass that door, you're in an immediate danger zone. The door can only be opened and closed with the proper code, which is in the files given to you. Captain Morrison, you may continue."

The UAC man sat, and the Royal Air Force captain stood.

"I'm going to give you a short biography of each soldier in your squad, just so you know what you've got, lieutenant. Our first man is Robert White, 32 years old and known to his comrades as Ohanzee. He's deaf in one ear and specializes in anything that goes _boom_, pretty much." He said in a thick British accent.

"Then there is Trip Calman, 29, Irishman, goes by his first name, and he's the best technician or engineer you can find in the world. Can fix anything, and break anything."

"Scott Sexton, 25, known as Hawk. Half-black and an amazing athlete, and an even better soldier, with a particular skill in the big guns department. He's never failed a mission and will do anything and everything to keep that record."

"Donovan Kirril, 28, goes by his last name. He's a stealth specialist from Russia, one of the best spies in the world, and a deadly assassin. You'll find him particularly useful when scouting and looking for information, or as a sniper."

"Ian Fox, 27, goes by Curls. He'll be your medical expert. Also a good gunman."

"Joseph Benito, 30, goes by Jitters, and a Mexican. He never talks unless necessary because of a stuttering problem. However, he is particularly skilled at making explosives, of any kind if given the right stuff. You'll find some may be extremely useful."

"Cody Bawek, 35, goes by Caesar. A Welshman in the Royal Navy, and your guide up the mountain. It hasn't been used in years and the path can be treacherous, so he will be leading you to the peak."

"Last, but most certainly not least, is Donna Cruickshank, 25, known as Hukluban or Huk, the Filipino goddess of death."

My eyes widened for a moment there, for the profile almost fitted that of my old Filipino friend, Donna. She joined the Marines, but Cruickshank wasn't her last name. Probably just coincidence.

"She is a modern ninja, pretty much. Very lethal with knives or swords, and an extremely good hacker. If you want something on a computer, she'll get it. Any questions?"

We stayed silent. It sounded like a good team to me, and judging by the look on John's face, he was slightly satisfied. Though he wouldn't admit it. The man nodded and sat back down, and the general spoke again.

"Your team is waiting in a cabin about a mile from Snowdon. You'll be taken there shortly, and three days from now all the supplies you'll need for the mission will be delivered. Weapons, armor, etc. Thank you for your time…" He paused and looked at us seriously. "And thank you for coming. Just step out that door, and an officer will escort you to your car."

John and I glanced at each other, and then we stood, taking our bags. Before I even stepped towards the door, I saluted the general. If I was a soldier again, I might as well act like one. The officer led us to a small black car waiting outside the building, and, throwing our bags into the back, we stepped in and set off.

The seven hour flight to get here and all this activity in one day had me exhausted. I was beat. Within thirty minutes of the drive, I had fallen asleep on John's shoulder. He put his arm around me and kissed my head, before laying his head back to sleep himself. It wasn't as easy for him though. Too much was on his mind. So much responsibility just thrust on his shoulders in so little time. Not only that, but now he was starting to realize just how dangerous this mission could be, and I was a part of it. He'd almost lost me three times during the last disaster, and he wasn't sure if he could do it again.

With a quiet sigh he looked back down at me again, absentmindedly stroking the back of my hand with his thumb. No, he couldn't bear losing me again. It hurt too much the first time, and it would hurt even more now, because he was in love. Now he knew it, and his sister knew it. On the drive home yesterday, from the airport, she asked if he had planned on proposing to me. He had been thinking about it. In fact, just a few days ago he found himself browsing through the jewelry store, looking at rings. But it was just a thought at the time, and a serious thought. Right now, to keep his mind off less appealing things, he thought about it again. And before long, began planning every romantic detail of how he would propose.


	3. Chapter 3

It was raining heavily, so much that I couldn't see out the window. I was woken by the bumps and sharp turns the car took as we drove fast along the countryside, and though I couldn't see the mountains clearly, their large silhouettes showed. Drowsily I opened my eyes, mumbling incoherent protests as we hit another large bump and I lifted off the seat. My pillow suddenly vibrated in a chuckle, and I glanced up at John. He seemed to be enjoying the roller coaster ride, but I was having minor motion sickness. The car suddenly went downhill quite sharply, and I groaned as my stomach tickled, not helping with the sickness at all. A few moments later bile rose in my throat and I leaned forward to tap the driver on the shoulder.

"Stop the car." I said in a thick voice, and it gradually came to a stop. I opened the car door and rushed out into the pouring rain, stumbling to the side of the road to empty my stomach. Concerned, John followed and rested a hand on my back, rubbing it softly while I puked. It tasted absolutely disgusting, and was very watery when it came out. The last time I threw up was years ago, and so I was reminded how unpleasant it was to have hot bile erupting from my throat.

When I was finished I tried to spit as much of the taste out as possible, and let the rain water rinse out my mouth. It was a little strange that my stomach was suddenly so sensitive, for I've never had motion sickness bad enough to make me puke. At least not in a car. Maybe it had to do with the change of atmosphere, altitude, or just the lack of food and sleep. I'm definitely not ill.

"You ok?"

I looked at John and nodded my head, and he led me back into the car. It started off again and I crossed my arms over my now drenched body. The cold was setting in and I shivered slightly, definitely not in a good mood. Now I was wet, cold, and sick. How much worse could today get? John asked the driver to turn the heater on and put his arm around me again. I turned into him and rested against his chest, trying to find some warmth. The heater blew onto my face, making me drowsy again. Gradually my body relaxed, and I fell into a light sleep, comfortably curled up against him.

It was barely an hour later when the car came to a halt. The rain had eased up a bit, making it easier to see outside. All around were high, green mountains patched with brown bushes, and going up and down them were long stone walls. We stepped out of the car and quickly retrieved our bags from the back, looking around for the place we were supposed to be staying at. The car quickly pulled away, disappearing down the long muddy road.

Ahead of us were two cabins residing on a hill. Smoke was coming from one's chimney, and light was pouring from its windows and revealing silhouettes of the residents on the inside. We climbed the hill and onto a porch, where we shook the rain off and knocked on the door. It opened, and a tall, burly man with amazingly curly, brown hair appeared. He scowled.

"You the newbies?" He asked. I narrowed my eyes at him and stepped forward to enter the cabin.

"Hardly." I spat as I pushed past. He stepped aside and let us in, closing the door behind.

"Newbies are here!" He announced, and I wondered if he really knew who we were. The cabin was simple with a kitchen, dining table, and a small living area, all interconnected into one room, and I assumed that the bedrooms were upstairs. There were four men situated at the dining table. Apparently dinner had been served.

"I'd shut up, Curls." One of the men said. He was the buffest in the room with dark skin and smooth, black hair that was pulled back in a tight pony tail. He looked of American Indian heritage. There was a long silence as the man called Curls turned to him. The man was staring at me intensely, and John must have noticed because his hand resumed its position at my back. "They were at Olduvai… and that's your new CO." He nodded towards John, and almost instantly they all rushed and stood at attention in a straight line, perfect stance and posture, waiting for an order to stand down. I was quite impressed with their reaction, and changed my mind about them being disrespectful maggots cruisin' for a bruisin'.

"Sorry, sir." Curls quickly apologized, standing at attention. I looked at John, and he winked surreptitiously at me before taking on a stony, reserved expression and stepping up to Curls. They both matched each other in height and size, but next to John's stare, the man was no more than a speck of dirt. He stood barely a foot away from him, so still that everyone held their breath, expecting him to lash out or scream. But for a long time he did nothing, letting the anticipation build up. The silence and imposing stare of his CO was beginning to have an effect on the young man. He was blinking furiously, becoming restless but not daring to move, afraid he would have his head ripped off for so much as breathing. I smiled on the inside for John. He had obviously prepared himself for this, and knew exactly how he would be handling these men. This was the perfect chance for him to gain some respect, and he was taking it.

"At ease." He suddenly muttered, and Curls visibly relaxed and slumped his shoulders, but still didn't dare move from his place. He followed the lieutenant's movements as he turned away, taking steps toward the man standing next to him. John eyed the American Indian man who had spoken before, and as if on queue the man snapped his heels together and saluted.

"Robert White, U.S. Marines, reporting for duty, sir." He said in a booming voice.

"Ohanzee." John said to himself. "At ease, soldier."

He did, spreading his legs and tucking his hands behind his back again.

"Where are the rest? There's supposed to be eight of you." John spoke flatly, eyeing each of the standing soldiers individually.

Just then there was a loud drum of footsteps rushing down the stairs, and I saw a dark haired woman leap down from the stair case and look straight at me. She smiled broadly and her eyes widened. My face had a curious expression, for she looked extremely familiar.

"Asians ate my dog." She said out of no where, and I almost screamed.

"Donna!" I gasped, dropping the bag and rushing to her. She met me and we embraced, laughing.

"Where the fuck have you been you fucking whore?" She said through growing tears. "And how much do you workout? You're gonna break me if you keep squeezing me like that!" I laughed and pulled away, looking over the face of a long lost friend.

"I've… gone through some changes." I replied. "Look at you! God, you've changed. Where the fuck have _you _been?"

"In Europe. They've had me doing a lot of undercover shit. What about you?"

"RRTS. Well… used to be."

"Well fuck! You'll have to tell me about that. So how's Will? I haven't heard from him in a while."

I paused dead and the smile was wiped from my face. Her grin faded and she turned serious, and the whole room was silent. A deep voice from the dining table answered for me, since I couldn't even speak the words.

"He died months ago, Huk." I turned my head and saw the Indian man. How did he know Will? He noticed the question in my gaze. "He was in my squad."

I stared at him in surprise.

"He was my best friend."

An uncomfortable silence followed, and I wasn't sure what to think. Suddenly I heard Donna sniff. I turned back and saw a flood of tears running down her cheeks. She pulled me into another embrace and closed her eyes tight, taking my jacket in her fists. I returned the hug. It felt like I was comforting her when really it should be the other way around. She knew Will quite well way back in high school.

"I'm so sorry, Kyra." She choked. "God, I really am. I can't possibly explain how much-" She stopped and gripped me tighter.

"Yeah, me too." I whispered in reply, and a long moment of silence followed. She pulled away and looked at me wide eyes of disbelief.

"I heard all about Olduvai! They told us how few of you got out. Christ, Kyra, you're lucky to even be alive!"

"Well, I had some guardian angels floating around me the whole time." I glanced at John, and she noticed, but put it away to talk about later.

"Excuse me ladies, but we'd like to get down to business with introductions." Curls announced, and Donna looked over my shoulder to glare at him.

"Hey, I'm catchin' up with a friend from the long lost past here. She learned how to castrate a man through me, so I'd watch out. The bitches are back, and we've had military training." Donna warned. Curls raised his hands in surrender and plopped down on a couch.

"Trip! Get your ass down here!" He shouted.

A few moments later another person came down the stairs, taking a look at John and me before realizing what was going on, and stood at attention in the line. He had short red hair, spiked all around, and a mildly fit figure. His skin was about as white as it could get, and he had the sharper, chiseled features of a Brit. Just then Donna realized who the dark haired man in the room was, and took her place in the line also. The sudden truth occurred to me, and slowly I took my stance next to Donna, folding my hands behind my back and setting my feet shoulder width apart. Despite our relationship, John was still my commanding officer, and I should act like it. Secretly I hoped he would have the sense not to favor me in front of the others, for his sake. Favoritism is never appreciated in a squad.

His eyes ran along the line, and when his eyes landed on me, he understood. With a nod of his head he moved to the next man, scrutinizing him under his gaze. His posture was not as stalwart, nor perfect as the rest. Not the kind of attention he expected out of any of these men, supposed to be the best in the world. The man was a pale, gangly looking person with long black hair pulled back. He didn't have as much muscle as the others, and was slightly shorter than John. Instantly he didn't like him.

"Stand up straight, soldier. Feet shoulder width apart, shoulders back, chin up. If you're going to be one of my men then you're going to look like a man." John scolded, kicking his feet apart and staring down at him.

"I am not a soldier, sir." He said in a thick, Russian accent.

"Ah, Donovan Kirril. The assassin from Russia." John sympathized the man. "No worries, Kirril, I understand you're not accustomed to military customs."

"Thank you, sir."

He went to the next soldier, who saluted with his palm facing out.

"Trip Calman, Royal Air Force, reporting for duty, sir." The Irishman said. John nodded and he returned to his former stance. He continued along the line.

Scott, or Hawk, was a half-black, attractive man with various tribal tattoos in rings around his arms. _U.S. Marines_ was imprinted in large, black letters over his shoulder. There was the edge of a tattoo on his back breaking out of the white wife-beater he wore. It looked somewhat like I wing. A hawk, perhaps. There was a cocky look about him, just in the way he held himself.

Joe, known as Jitters, was a dark brown haired, tall man with a lean build. He had a generous amount of muscle on him. They all did. It looked like he had some Asian heritage, but he was mostly Mexican. The right side of his face looked uneven and scarred, probably from an explosion. He does specialize in making them.

Cody, or Caesar, the Welsh Royal Navy guy and our guide, was a light skinned, bleach blonde man. He had a large nose and thin lips, and looked serious and reserved. A thick amount of stubble showed along his jaw and upper lip, and he had piercing blue eyes that reminded John of Goat.

Donna had changed a lot since I had last seen her. Her features had sharpened, muscles toned, and eyes a more steely grey than when she was eighteen. She still had her long black hair, pulled back in a tight pony-tail, and she was much shorter than John. About my height.

When he came to me, I saluted.

"Kyra Lucas, U.S. Marines, at your service, sir." I said flatly, having to hide a smile. He nodded and winked again, and I could almost feel Donna's eyes on me. No doubt she'll have something to say about that later. Turning away, John took a few steps away and faced his squad.

"I am Lieutenant Grimm, formerly known as Reaper in the Rapid Response Tactical Squad. The same squad of nine Marines that walked into Olduvai, and came out with barely four. Kyra Lucas to my left here, is one of those four Marines." He paused and scrutinized them individually again. "She will be treated with the same respect and authority as you would with me. No one has experienced confrontation with demons more than she has, so if you want your ass looked after, you'll want to be on her good side." I couldn't keep from smiling at that. "Snowdon is a repeat of Olduvai, ladies and gentlemen. The closest thing to Hell you'll ever encounter. Therefore I expect full cooperation, _respect_, and loyalty. I don't care who you are, what you do, or where the hell you come from… you're under my command, and under my responsibility. If you want to live, you'll follow my orders, no questions asked. Is that understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" They all said in unison. He half-smiled and nodded in approval.

"As you were." He said.

The men then returned to their seats at the dining table. I approached John with a grin.

"Love how you handled that." I said quietly, for his ears only.

"Didn't even know I had it in me." He said, his voice suddenly colored and normal.

"Hm, I had faith in you."

Donna suddenly appeared, touching my arm to get my attention.

"Alright, you're bunking with me, Kyra." She said. I looked at John questioningly. We had already planned on bunking together, since we didn't expect any women to be here. He just shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

"Go ahead." He said.

I picked up my bag again and Donna didn't waste any time in dragging me up the stairs.

"Don't forget about dinner, Huk!" Ohanzee hollered after us. At the top there was a long hallway with at least six doors aligning it on both sides. She opened the first one on the left, flicking the light on and closing the door behind me. The room was extremely small, with two cots put against opposite walls with only about two feet separating them. Only the small space at the end of the cot would fit my bag, and I tossed it there.

"Really cramped, I know. Just be glad we're only sleeping in here." Donna commented, collapsing onto her cot and staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm just glad it's temporary." I said back, sitting on the other cot and glancing around. Although it was small, it was cozy and warm, perfect for the cold weather hanging around. The only other notable piece of the room was the small window looking out onto the base of a mountainside. A single yellow light hung from the ceiling.

"So…" Donna sung, looking at me with a lopsided grin. "Who's tall, dark, and handsome?"

I smiled broadly and looked down, biting my lip at his very mention.

"That's John." I answered.

"Oh, I like how you said his name."

"What?" I looked at her weird.

"And how long have you two been together?"

"Not sure. Guess it depends on your definition of 'together'."

"I mean getting all googly eyed, touching, romance, and snogging stuff." She sat up.

"Snogging? I think you've been in England too long." I chuckled.

"Yeah whatever, so?"

"Well… ever since Olduvai, I guess."

"Uhuh, and where'd you pick up a hunk like that?"

I playfully glared at her, and she grinned.

"Don't worry, Kyra." She held her left hand up, sporting a rather large rock on her ring finger. "I've got my man."

My eyes practically bulged out of their sockets I was so shocked. I gasped and took her hand, looking at the beautiful band. Now it made sense about her last name.

"And how the hell did you get this?" I almost squealed I was so excited.

"Met him while on a job for six months on a carrier in the Atlantic. We hit it off, and met again a couple of months later. After a few weeks he proposed, and we got married five months ago. You'd like him. His name's Chris, and he's in the Navy."

"Well shit, you didn't waste any time did you?"

"Nope. He didn't want to wait."

I continued admiring the ring, my heart suddenly fluttering at the thought that it could happen to me one day. And I already had my heart set on whom. She sounded happy when she spoke about it, and when I met her eyes I could see the tremendous amount of contentment. I envied her, wanting so much to feel that way too.

"The wedding was pretty small. Most of our families couldn't make it all the way over to Europe. We had our honeymoon in a five-star hotel in Spain."

"Wow, he must have some money."

"Actually, I make most of the cash. I get paid _good_ money for what I do. Strictly top secret shit though, so I can't talk about it."

"Ok." I chuckled.

"Alright, enough about me. How did you guys meet?"

"Why are you so interested?" I gaped at her.

"Because you're getting it with the LT! I saw the way he looked at you."

I rolled my eyes and sat back against the wall.

"Just don't tell anyone."

"I promise. Now tell me, how did you guys meet?"

"I'll tell you after dinner. I'm starving, and I haven't eaten since yesterday."

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Dinner had been a relatively silent occasion. Few opened their mouths for anything other than to stuff ham into it. Donna, however, couldn't shut up. Not that I minded. It was really good to be able to see her again after all these years. She began telling stories about the stuff we did as kids, and occasionally Ohanzee would make a comment. I couldn't stop looking at the man every once in a while, wondering what he was thinking. Will's best friend, no doubt, and I knew despite everything that he wanted to know what happened to him. That whole story would be discussed in the days to come. All of them would receive every sickening detail of what happened on Olduvai. It would prepare them more for the mission to come.

I was the first to get up from the table, having not eaten much and still absolutely exhausted from today's events. My stomach was still pretty sensitive, and the strong smell of the seasonings on the ham made me feel sick again. When I stepped into the room and changed into sweat pants and a wife-beater, I collapsed onto the cot and rubbed my face wearily. For a while I took the time to let things sink in. Lots of things had been thrust on me in one day, more emotionally than anything else. Yesterday I was kidnapped and flown off to England, having this whole Snowdon disaster thrown in my face, and then I get here and meet my brother's best friend, and mine. With a heavy sigh I rolled over onto my stomach and tucked the pillow under me, falling into what I prayed was a dreamless sleep. But just when I was on the verge of it, the door opened and closed. Thinking it was Donna, I didn't react, but a familiar hand brushing the hair out of my face made me jerk awake.

I opened my eyes and smiled up at him, rolling over to give him room to sit. He did so and began running his fingers along my arm soothingly. Enjoying the touch, my eyes closed lazily and I almost fell asleep again.

"I get my own room, you know." He suddenly said, and I looked up at him again with a grin, knowing where this was going.

"Really?"

"Uhuh."

There was a lingering silence and he continued to stroke my arm. I sat up and touched his back, rubbing it once before reaching under his sweatshirt to trace the warm, toned skin underneath. His muscles twitched under my touch, and I heard him take in a short breath of air. Our eyes met, inches apart, and he leaned in for a kiss. It was gentle at first, but thorough, until it slowly heated and became more passionate. His arm wrapped around my waste and pulled me to him, setting me down in his lap while his other hand rested on my thigh. I brought my hand to his face, sliding it up into his hair to glide through the soft, black strands. Tenderly he bit my bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth to gnaw it gently. I moaned into his mouth and slipped my tongue in, forcing him to let go of my lip and join a fierce battle of dominance. Damn did it feel good to kiss him like this again. We hadn't kissed this passionately in a while, even when we made love. Somehow the need was never there. After what's happened the past two days, I can't blame us for reacting so fiercely to a simple touch. The stress showed.

Suddenly the door opened, and we separated. My eyes shot toward the door to see Donna, wide-eyed with her head peeking into the room. Guiltily I bit my already swollen lip, and she cleared her throat.

"I'll come back later, then." She half-whispered, closing the door again.

John growled in frustration and looked at me. I just shrugged and put my head against his.

"She already knows."

"You told her?"

"Well, she kinda found it out for herself. I just told her how."

His eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Your friend is already a nuisance." He grumbled, and I smiled.

"Hey, so was I."

"And don't I know it."

My lips glided across the stubble of his cheek, just barely touching him, and lingered over his lips for a moment before moving over the other side of his face. Teasingly I prodded his skin lightly with my tongue. His muscles were taut beneath my hands, anticipating, waiting. I reached his ear and nibbled it once, bringing a light gasp from him. Grinning, I nibbled again, then sucked the lobe into my mouth. He growled and pulled me away, hovering over my lips suggestively.

"Don't start anything you don't intend to finish." He rumbled.

"I try." I grinned again, moving in for another kiss, but he kept himself out of my reach.

"I noticed you didn't eat much." He commented, suddenly sounding concerned.

"My stomach is still just a little upset. It's nothing."

"Upset? Are you sure-"

"Just some after-affects of motion sickness. Nothing to worry about." I assured. Though he didn't seem convinced, he let the matter drop for now and moved on to a different subject.

"So, you gonna let me sleep all by my little lonesome in that tiny closet they call a bedroom?" He asked, and I bit my lip guiltily again.

"Well… I don't want to leave Donna by herself."

He rolled his eyes.

"John, I haven't seen her since high school, and I've been living with you over a year. You can survive without me for one night." I reprimanded.

Groaning in protest he rested his head on my shoulder, then buried his face in my neck.

"Tomorrow night, then." He mumbled, kissing me before raising his head to look at me.

"Tomorrow night." I agreed, pecking him on the lips.


	4. Chapter 4

**I would like to thank Something-or-other for the amazing review! Thank you so much, it really made my day! I can't wait for more of your thoughts on my story, and I'm glad you like my writing. It makes me happy.  
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The rain turned heavy again during the night, coming down by the bucket load in large pellets, making it sound like hail on the roof. Large streams twisted down the mountainside, turning the ground into a tender marsh. It was complete darkness outside, with the thick storm clouds blotting out the moon and stars. A crack of thunder broke across the sky, but lightning didn't appear until a while later. It sliced through the darkness, illuminating the mountain peaks but dulled by the heavy sheet of rain. A few moments later another flashed, less than a mile away, and the incredibly loud boom of thunder practically smacked me out of sleep. Recognizing it as a storm, I just kept my eyes closed and tried to go back to sleep, letting the loud but rhythmic sound of the rain lull me to sleep. Another flash darted into the room, making me shut my eyes tighter at the bright light and the ear breaking clap of thunder that sounded a second later.

I opened my eyes, wide awake now, and could see Donna's face two feet away on her own cot. Despite the darkness, my eyes were still accustomed and could make out objects in the black. Donna still looked fast asleep, despite the storm. Then I remembered that she had taken sleeping pills before she went to bed, and that she had always been a heavy sleeper. Sitting up, I rubbed the sand out of my eyes and yawned. Yet more lightning came, and I glared out the window.

"I hear you." I mumbled. "Wonder why the angel's are crying out the damn ocean."

I was extremely annoyed at being woken by the storm, for it was a dreamless sleep. Something I hadn't had since Olduvai, probably because of my exhaustion. Knowing I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep in this, I threw the covers off and rested my feet on the wooden floor. Taking a moment to pop my neck after sleeping in an awkward position, I slowly stood and straightened out my stretched tank top. I was a little surprised earlier when the room started to get stuffy, and decided not to sleep in my sweatshirt.

Carefully opening the door, I stepped out and gently shut it behind me, looking down both ends of the hall. The stairs were only a few feet to my right, and I warily began going down, not wanting to lose footing in the dark. When I reached the bottom, I scanned the room for no real reason at all other than to give myself some time to decide what I was going to do. A high pitched growl from my stomach made the decision for me, and I walked toward the kitchen, fumbling for the switch. Clicking it, I found myself still in darkness. I clicked it on and off a few times before growling, realizing the power had gone out. There was no telling where the fuse box was, so instead I slowly walked through the dark, fumbling for the refrigerator handle and opening it. The power had definitely gone out, for not even the refrigerator light was working.

I had to practically stick my head into the refrigerator to see the contents on the inside. Opening the drawer, I took out a peach and closed it. Biting into its juicy flesh, I reached up to open a cabinet, spying a box of Triscuits and taking that down. Both food items in hand, I turned around and walked over to the couch, plopping down and putting full focus on the food. Damn, was I hungry. Another flash illuminated the room, and I froze. Slowly I raised my head, scanning for anything abnormal. I swore I had seen something, but in the dark it was hard to tell.

After a few minutes, I shrugged it off as just a trick of the light. I wasn't really sure what I saw, but there was just that feeling that something was out of place. That instinct that I had become affiliated with intimately whilst on Olduvai, that sensitized every nerve in my body and all five senses. However, the only thing that sensed something was wrong was my sight, which is the least trustable of the five. Especially in the dark, where it tries to trick you.

"_Kyra."_

I froze again and closed my eyes, recognizing the faraway voice and the echo that reverberated off the walls.

"Shit." I cursed to myself, definitely in no mood for this… again.

"_You shouldn't be here."_

In front of me a silhouette appeared from thin air, his face and figure blurry and black in the dark. Suddenly losing my appetite again, I dropped the box and settled my hands in my lap, gazing at the nothing in front of me.

"Why?" I asked lowly, certainly not as shaken and frightened as I had been the first time he appeared.

"_Don't go into Snowdon."_ Was all his empty tone replied.

"You told me it was my responsibility." I tried to keep my voice at a low, so only he would hear it over the rain. If anyone did come down the stairs, I wondered if they would see him. _No._ I thought. _It's all in my head._

"_You have a new responsibility now."_

"And what would that be?"

"_To care for a child."_

I looked at him curiously, wondering what he meant by that. Before I could open my mouth to ask, his silhouette disappeared. _Care for a child? What child?_

Suddenly a huge flash of lightning poured through the window, making me flinch. Thunder broke the sky almost instantly, a deafening sound that made me cover my ears in pain. _That was awfully close._ I turned my head to the window just as another flash came, and screamed under the thunder as a horrific creature was revealed outside. One I'd never seen before.

My heart suddenly beating like a rabbit's in fear, I leaped off of the couch and fled up the stairs. Why I was so afraid, I didn't know, but I knew where I wanted to seek refuge on this horrible night. Quickly, but quietly, I went into the far door on the right, closing it gently behind me. The room was just as dark as the others, and I jumped again when something creaked in the corner. Muffled groans reached my ears, and slowly I approached the cot, trying to see him in the dark. A pained gasp and choke came from him, and I kneeled down by the cot in concern, watching him writhe under the covers. I knew not to try and wake him, or I'd probably get a bloody nose or worse. So I waited.

"Kyra." I heard my name groaned from his mouth, and gazed curiously at him. He was dreaming about me.

"No." He whispered, and then suddenly he shouted and shot up in the bed. I backed away a little bit, not wanting to take the brunt of his obviously violent dream. His chest heaved in and out as he gasped for air, hair dampened by cool sweat. After a few seconds I leaned in and reached my hand out.

"John." I said softly, and he turned to me without a jerk.

"Kyra?"

I touched his arm and sat on the cot, meeting his shining eyes in the darkness.

"Are you alright?" I asked, concerned that he was having such a nightmare all of a sudden.

"Yeah. It was… just a dream." He replied heavily, taking my hand and pulling me into his lap. He wrapped his arms around me and put his forehead against mine, sighing and closing his eyes before tightening his hold. Still concerned, I brought my hand to his face, feeling the sweat soaked hairs of his sideburn in my fingers.

"Are you sure?"

He opened his eyes and gazed into mine for a while, then kissed my head and smiled lightly.

"I'll be fine. It was just a dream."

I relaxed a little, absently stroking his cheek with my thumb, looking into his eyes to find some hint that he could be lying. If it was a dream to be concerned about, he certainly wouldn't tell me. Always wanting to keep me sheltered from the world's displeasures if possible, that's him. He really does try his best, always there in the middle of the night when I wake, trembling from the frequent nightmares. When ever I have a momentary breakdown after a hard day, or am reminded of my brother when I'm at my most emotionally fragile time of the month. He's right there, so much that I expect him to be there all the time. It scares me a little how much I need him, depend on him. If he ever were to leave me, I think it would pull the last string on my sanity, and I'd be lost forever. Retreat back into a hard, cold shell and maybe never even speak again, or feel for someone else. I'd just be a ghost. He really is the only person I have left that I truly love, and that is what makes me go on. Without it I might as well die.

"You're shaking. Was it another nightmare?" He said softly against my ear. I didn't answer, still trying to calm my racing heart. It was easy when he squeezed me tighter, and I sunk into his warmth and safety. His always musky scent, strong embrace, calming presence, and warm voice chased away all worries and fears every time. Like always, he's my refuge.

"I saw him again." I said.

"Your brother?"

"Yes."

There was a short pause as he waited for me to tell him what happened. Given the right time, I would always come out with it sooner or later. He just had to be patient.

"He told me that I shouldn't be here. That I shouldn't go into Snowdon." I was silent for a very long time, still lulling over what happened. Whether or not I should even be listening to this illusion of my brother, or somehow believe that he's real. My mind has been a confusing illusionist ever since Olduvai, with all the dreams and visions of my brother, so I don't know what to believe anymore. This whole thing with Snowdon could be a dream for all I know.

"I don't know what to think anymore." I said lowly, resting my head on his shoulder.

"This mission is bringing back a lot of things. It's been a while since I dreamt of Olduvai, and suddenly it's haunting me every time I go to sleep." He said.

"Is that what you were dreaming about?"

"Yeah. The sewer."

I raised my head and caressed his cheek again, meeting his eyes sympathetically. Then I kissed him lightly.

"You know, if you dream of death then it means there will be life." I tried to cheer him.

"That doesn't seem so likely in the next few days."

"What happened in the sewer is not going to happen again, John. I promise you it won't." I spoke heavily.

"Well…" He sighed. "It isn't really something we can help, is it?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You are just so negative, lately." I scorned.

"Well sorry to burst your positive bubble, but I'm being as realistic as possible about this mission. Hope isn't in my vocabulary right now. It's been crushed too many times."

"Hey, hope has never been in your vocabulary. You've always been a 'serious' pain in the ass, but I've been able to make you smile every once in a while."

"At the cost of pouring a paint bucket over my head. You can be a downright bitch sometimes."

"Hmm…" I giggled, kissing him. "You're just grumpy because I decided to sleep with Donna instead of you, tonight."

"She better be one hell of a 'death goddess', cus I'm not letting her take you away from me." He squeezed me tightly in his arms and kissed me possessively, making a thorough claim over my mouth before pulling away to leave me breathless. After a moment of recovery I grinned at him.

"And she's not going to let you take away her best friend. I did learn everything from her, you know. She'll eat you alive if you challenge her." I warned playfully.

"Damn, then I really should be scared, shouldn't I?" He said, and I laughed lightly.

"Yep."

"But you're not gonna leave me all alone? Now that you're here you might as well stay."

"John…" I started, ready to turn him down even then.

"Please." He interrupted, and put on his most convincing pout. I stared at him passively, refusing to fall for _that_ face, even if it killed me.

"Please, please, _please_." He went on, putting his face against mine and planting a warm trail of kisses all the way down to my neck, making me go rigid when he touched my ticklish spot.

"Certainly not if you're in this mood. You pull this shit and start something then I'm leaving." I said, knowing very well what this sort of touching could lead to. He stopped and looked at me hopefully.

"So is that a yes?"

"Where am I supposed to sleep? This cot is tiny."

"We'll sleep on the floor. Get your mattress."

I stared imposingly at him for a while, then decided to submit to his begging. If he's begging then he really must want it. With a sigh I rolled my eyes.

"Ok."

He grinned and let go of me, letting me get out of his lap. I headed back to my room quietly, coming back with the small mattress and blanket. When I came back in I laid my mattress down next to his and we laid down, pulling the covers over. His arms wrapped around my waste and pulled me to his chest, sighing contentedly with his face buried in my hair. Warmth spread through me when I felt him snuggle against me like I was a teddy bear, not able to suppress a smile. It was then when I wondered if he really needed me as much as I needed him. That the real reason he begged me to sleep with him just now was because he dreamt of the sewer, on Olduvai, and he wanted to be able to feel me with him if it happened again.

Suddenly my eyes widened as my brother's words finally sank in. _To care for a child. If you dream of death it means there will be life._ Oh my God. It can't be right. I can't be… no. It's just not possible, not now. Not before the mission. Could I really be…?

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**Chapters may be much shorter now. I've decided that it would be much easier for me (when school starts) if I could update frequently with shorter chapters then try and write a long one and update frequently. It's just too hard, so updates will be quicker now I hope.**

**Now, I must say that I'm very disappointed with the small number of reviews I've had with this story. I know there are a lot of people reading it, because I know when you add it to your favorites or put it on story alert. Please people, feedback is very important, and part of the reason why I post these stories on here at all. It's half the fun of writing it, to know what people think about it, so please review. Tell me what you like, and more importantly, what you don't like. I check my email a thousand times a day to see if there are any new reviews, and most days there are none at all, and it makes me sad. Make me happy please! It will make me want to write even more! Please please please!**


	5. Chapter 5

The slightest possibility that I could be pregnant did scare me quite a bit. But I couldn't rely on the crazy words of my dead brother and a dream to determine that. There needed to be solid proof, and all the right signs. What are usually the signs of being pregnant? It's something I know next to nothing about, for I never had enough discussions with my mother about it, only that abstinence was the best way not to worry. Boy had I thrown that rule out the window. It just didn't seem like it could happen to me. John and I had always used protection, except for our first time of course.

It must have been an hour since I laid down with him, and I couldn't catch a wink of sleep. Ever since then I've been gazing blankly at the wall, absently listening to the calming storm outside as these thoughts raced through my head. You don't sleep with something like this on your mind, for it's too unnerving. I was thinking about what being pregnant could mean, with everything. With John and our relationship, the mission and whether or not he'd even let me go, and the obvious responsibility of caring for and raising a child. Now, I know better than to think it's easy.

And then again, I couldn't be pregnant at all. Life only threw me another curveball, and I can still smack a home run. Damnit, mere thought alone is not going to prove anything. I need a fucking pregnancy test, is what I need. Where the hell am I going to get a pregnancy test out here in the middle of no where? There could be a town somewhere. Our Welsh guide, Caesar, would most likely know. Or maybe Donna, by some miracle, knows more about pregnancy symptoms than I do. How the fuck can I _not _know? Any girl would normally get some kind of briefing, or education on it. How did I miss it?

No point in complaining about that now, because I'm going to know soon. I'll talk to Donna first. To hell with talking to John about it. He'll freak out.

"_Pregnant! A but - ugh - er – are you – ah!"_ I could just hear it now. He _will_ go on a stuttering fit. I know it, and likely he'll run his hands through his hair a couple thousand times, then maybe trip over something on the floor before finally sitting down, maybe a few exasperated sighs to add to the picture, a bouncing knee, and just for a funny touch up, he'll probably slap himself once or twice to see if it's a dream. Poor John. It isn't easy being a man. He'll be doing absurd things like sheltering me in pillows on the couch, asking every five minutes if there's anything he can get me, cooking meals, maybe even cleaning the house a bit, nightly massages, etc. Though something like that wouldn't be all that bad, his constant attention could become a major pain in the ass after a few weeks. I'm not made to be pampered. It's not my lifestyle.

And then an unwelcome thought snaked its way among it all. What if he doesn't want a child?

Would he stay with me, even then? Does he love me enough for that? To stay even though it isn't what he wants. It's not like it would be any easier for me than it would be for him, so he _better_ fucking stay. I doubt he would ever leave me, for it's not the man I know, but men can be strange. They will get spooked by something like this, and toss all sense out the window and run off. I know now that John has had enough surprises, and enough responsibility, and enough worries lately. To add a child to the mix? An unborn child? I would be concerned for his mentality. But he's a strong man, especially mentally. I do actually have a lot of faith in him, in the way he would handle it. Despite how compassionate and emotional he can be in situations, he is quick to accept things for what they are. It's why he always gets things done. I've never heard him complain. Not seriously, at least.

I really hope I'm not pregnant. To go into Snowdon carrying a child… I don't know if I could take the risk. No where in my right mind do I have the intentions of killing my baby, and if I endured the injuries I did on Olduvai, surely the baby wouldn't survive. The guilt would always haunt me at night. But I couldn't abandon John to take these people in there by himself. He needs me by his side, someone he already knows and trusts. Though I no longer doubted whether these men – and Donna – would follow him without question, he would need some more intimate support. Support only I could give.

And I also felt obligated to protect Donna. Despite all these years, we still talked like best friends, which was a big relief. It was truly good to see her again, and I forgot how much I missed her. Missed her badass, adventurous, outgoing, and positive attitude on a daily basis. Always the one to bring a smile to my face, even if it was a small one. And she was one hell of a comrade when it came to getting in fights, and I always avoided being on the receiving end of her violence. She and I would be like Jackie Chan and The Terminator on the same side, she opening a can of Filipino whoop-ass, and me unleashing every form of death metal on those demons. There'd be nothing left standing.

I laughed a little bit. Yeah, she's the one that almost put Andrew Foxter in the hospital because he cheated on me in high school. She may have over reacted… a little. Just a little bit. She was always a loyal friend, not matter what. One time it saved me from nearly making the biggest mistake of my life. I was sixteen, and we – Donna, Desiree, Jackie and I – were at a guy named Tom's house. There was alcohol, and somehow I was convinced to drink a little bit, and ended up getting piss drunk. Tom took advantage of it. She may have been drunk, but Donna could hold her liquor better than any other girl I'd ever met, and she knew _exactly _what Tom was after. If it wasn't for her – smashing a bottle over his head – I would have lost my virginity a long time ago. Thank God for her.

She was over attentive when I told her about my history with John. Despite years of Marine warfare, it didn't take away her sometimes girlish attitude, like giggling and squealing when talking about guys. She didn't squeal much, but her voice did go up an octave a few times. I told her everything, from the day at basic training to the events of Olduvai itself. Barely touching around my brother though. His part in the disaster was something I would rather discuss once, and with the entire squad as an audience.

Donna hadn't lost her touch with interpreting my thoughts, and knew not to press the subject. The way my tone changed when speaking of Olduvai was heavy and slightly thick, telling her that it was something that brought grief. That tone she would never forget. The last time she heard it was over ten years ago, and that event she never wanted to hear repeated. It brought so much grief that she almost lost me as a friend.

We had a long history together, and one that kept our bond strong despite. It's more than what Duke and I have, and maybe even more than the one I have with John. Best friends for life.

And I really wish she wasn't going on this mission.

There isn't much I can do about that, except watch over her. It would be like old times, watching each other's back and keeping an eye on each other.

I laughed again.

Well, at least we found our fine-ass Marines. Navy SEAL in her case. Same difference. I wondered what happened to Desiree and Jackie. Once John and I went into hiding, I ceased keeping in touch with them. Last I heard, Jackie was struggling as an actress, and Desiree was struggling to pay the rent off a Burger King paycheck. Somehow I expected her to turn out that way. She was always quite lazy, wanting things now and not in the long run. Patience certainly wasn't in her dictionary, which is sad, because patience is life. That, you can't argue with.

My thoughts into the past were interrupted when John began moving behind me. His arm tightened around my waste almost painfully, making me suck my stomach in to relieve some of the pressure. I turned my head and saw him at the corner of my eye, his face in the form of a deep scowl. A faint moan aired from his throat, and his embrace tightened even more, making me gasp. It must have been another nightmare. Afraid that his arm would continue to crush me, I reached behind and grasped the back of his head, scratching at his damp hair to hopefully wake him gently.

"John. Wake up, baby." I said, shaking his head a little. There was no response, only a further tapering over my stomach, so much now that I was almost desperate to get away. It was too much to handle.

"John!" I almost shouted, shaking him violently. A groan escaped him and his arm loosened as he began to wake, slowly coming back into consciousness. I took in some much needed breaths and finally relaxed, slumping back against his chest. When he finally became fully conscious he lifted his head and looked down at me, concerned as to why I was breathing so hard.

"What's wrong?" His voice cracked, still groggy from sleep.

"You were squeezing me." I answered, and realization passed over his face. He put his hand on my stomach and grabbed my hand – which was still behind his head – kissing the palm tenderly.

"I'm sorry. I was having another nightmare."

"It's ok." I turned my head to face him, finding it less than an inch from mine. "I forgive you."

He smiled a little bit and kissed me, snuggling back against the crook of my neck. I continued to scratch gently at his head, trying to sooth him back to sleep. His fingers grazed my stomach for a little while, before his breathing evened and he fell back asleep. Tired enough to follow, I relaxed and closed my eyes.

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I was rather jerked out of sleep like a rubber band would fire a piece of paper, because of this extremely loud beeping right against my ear. Instantly my hand flew there, trying to slap away whatever the source of the noise was. The back of my hand hit something hard, and made me flinch at the sharp pain. A familiar movement in the bed beside me told me that John was awake, and the beeping sound seemed to move around him. I turned over, eyes squinting in the still dark room, and discovered that it was the alarm on his watch. Groaning and slapping his wrist on the mattress – as if trying to make it shut up by mere force – he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Then he lifted the watch and fumbled around it for a few seconds, trying to find the off button. The incessant beeping ceased, and he collapsed back onto the bed, burying his face in the pillow.

"Five o'clock." The pillow muffled, and I pulled the blankets tighter around me and closed my eyes to fall back asleep. For a long time there was utter silence, and I was just about to fall asleep when the bed shifted again.

"Come on, Kyra. Training starts early, and we need to get back into the groove of things. That means no sleeping in." John's sleepy voice said above me.

"Speak for yourself." I groaned, still absolutely exhausted after a difficult night.

"Come on, sweetheart. A good run will wake you up."

The covers flew off of me and I whined like a five-year-old, glaring up at him. He grinned and kissed my nose, slowly getting up and stretching.

"You kidding? A run in this weather?"

"The storm's gone. Nothing but a light drizzle. You've been in worse." He chuckled, rummaging through his bag at the end of his cot for clothes. He pulled out some grey gym shorts and a black, long-sleeved under armor shirt. I watched as he changed into them, admiring the well-defined, fit upper body that he still maintained after all these months without military fitness standards to keep him in shape. He tried to go to the gym regularly, to stay in shape. _"I like being fit."_ Was his excuse.

Groaning I arched my back in a full body stretch, then relaxed and closed my eyes again. A few seconds later I found a pillow smacking me in the face. Growling I grabbed the pillow and glared at John, grinning in the corner of the room. Sitting up I threw it back at him. He knew better than to catch it, and let it hit him in the chest.

"You can be a downright bitch sometimes too, you know." I said.

"Why do you always call men bitches instead of assholes?" He asked unexpectedly, and a faint smile twitched on my lips.

"Donna." Was the only thing he needed to hear, and he rolled his eyes.

"Should have known." He mumbled, pulling on a sweatshirt and sitting down to put on his shoes. "Now get your ass out of bed, before I have to force you out."

"Yes, mother." I grumbled, standing up and running my fingers through my hair to get out a few knots. He grabbed me and shoved me against the wall hard, lifting me ever so slightly off the ground. I gasped and grasped his shoulders, looking into his eyes which were barely an inch away. A mischievous smile spread across his face and his lips hovered over mine suggestively.

"That's _sir_, to you." He said flatly, and I grinned.

"Yes, _sir_."

His tongue grazed my lips, and I opened them invitingly, closing my eyes in anticipation. He took my bottom lip into his mouth and sucked gently, then covered my mouth and shoved his tongue in. Instantly I responded, taking his face in my hands and pressing against his body harder. His hands roamed over my body, resting on my hips and gripping them tightly, pulling me into a more compromising position. I felt his groin against my hip, gradually growing harder as his hunger and passion leaked into the kiss. My own body was responding quite quickly, a rising heat budding between my legs. It was going too far in record time, and we both knew it. Here and now wasn't the best to have sex… especially when I thought I could be… oh shit.

I stopped kissing him and tried to pull away, and he complied. For a moment we looked at each other, slightly out of breath. Already my lips felt raw and swollen from his kisses.

"We shouldn't-" I began.

"Yeah."

"We should probably-"

"Yeah."

He backed away and straightened himself out, clearing his throat.

"You should go get ready. I'll wake everybody up." He said, and I nodded, heading for the door. He followed me out and I headed for my room, opening the door and closing it behind me. Donna – not surprisingly – was still deep in sleep on her cot.

I changed into my workout clothes and pulled my hair back into a tight pony-tail, putting on my running shoes. All the time, I tried making as much noise as possible, seeing how far I could go before she woke. If the storm didn't, neither would I. Footsteps outside the room hinted that people were going down stairs, and soon after, the clang of dishes told me breakfast was being made. Sighing, I looked out the window and saw a faint light peaking over the top of the mountain. The sun was coming up.

My eyes went back to Donna, lying on her stomach with half her leg hanging off the cot, her bare feet uncovered. Her arm also hung off the bed, and her hair covered her face. There was a small, darkened spot on her pillow next to her open mouth, and I grinned. She was drooling.

I stood and leaned down next to her ear, gripping the edge of her cot.

"_EARTHQUAKE!_" I screamed, shaking her bed violently up and down. Almost instantly she shot up, so violently that I fell back and she fell off the bed, hitting the floor with a loud _thunk_. I had landed on my cot, laughing hysterically.

"Get under the bed!" She shouted urgently, fighting to gain full consciousness while trying hopelessly to get under the low cot. The sight had me laughing so hard I was in tears, and my stomach hurt. I folded my arms over my stomach and closed my eyes, the tears streaming down.

"Kyra, you fucking _bitch_!" Donna screamed, hitting me with her pillow. "You better be a good fighter, cus I'm gonna _beat_ your ass!"

She made to jump on me, but I dodged and made for the door. I rushed out, still laughing, and she followed. She was always faster on her feet than me, so I quickly found her at my heels. I leaped over the railing of the stairs and landed in the living room, jumping over the couch to put that obstacle between us. She swung her legs over and jumped down also, glaring at me over the couch. The whole squad was sitting at the table, staring at the two of us. They heard the commotion upstairs and knew what was happening, and were quite interested in what the outcome would be.

"Calm down, Donna. You were sleeping like a rock, I had to wake you up somehow!" I tried to compromise. Suddenly she smiled and shook her fist at me.

"You just wait. _You… just… wait._" She threatened.

"I'm waiting." I taunted.

"Outside, after breakfast. I hope you've been practicing."

"You won't stand a chance."

"I'll make you eat dirt."

"I'll be sittin' on your ass."

"My ass will be sittin' on _you_."

"Bitch, you wanna start something." I grinned.

"Something's already started."

"Then maybe we oughta finish it."

"I'm with you on that one."

"Whoa, whoa! Ladies!" Someone said from the dining table, and we both turned to see Hawk, the black man. "Throw some ice on the fire."

Donna and I looked at each other again.

"Forgiven." I said.

"Forgiven." She answered, and we both went into the kitchen to fix breakfast like nothing had happened. Some of the guys were so confused by the dramatic change that they still couldn't stop staring. Others continued eating their cereal.

"So, LT. What's the game plan today?" Ohanzee asked, taking a spoonful of Crunchy Nut cereal. The others glanced at their CO from their food, waiting for a reply. After last night's introductions, they felt their lieutenant knew what he was doing and expected some serious training to prepare for the mission. To them, John was - in many respects -their senior, and they couldn't wait for 'Demon' education. If this was as hardcore as described, then they were practically bred for it. They lived for this shit.

"I've got some training exercises to help us all, especially Kirill, be able to work as a team. Being from different countries and different militaries, I think there's plenty to share. We'll work on communication, trust, etc. Like any other team." John answered flatly, occasionally making eye contact with a few.

"What about… individual exercises, sir?" Hawk asked, and they stared at each other. "Don't you wanna know what we can do? I know a lot of us are eager to show off our skills."

"There'll be plenty of time for that, during the mission. I know what you're all capable of."

"But you haven't _seen_ us, sir. I think I speak for everyone here when I say that you seem to doubt our capability."

Utter silence followed, and I turned and stared at Hawk. The man seemed a little apprehensive about his words, but very sure once they came out of his mouth. For him to voice that the men in some way, doubted their CO, was a bit of a risk.

John put his spoon down and leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at each of them individually with a blank expression.

"You're right." He said, and I stared at him in bewilderment. "I do doubt you. I don't doubt that your skills are good. I doubt that they're good enough."

Another silence followed, and the men listened intently.

"If you wanna show me what you got, by all means…" He waved his hand. "Do it." He looked straight at Kirril. "Show me how good a sniper you are, or a stealth man. I'm sure Kyra wouldn't mind challenging you."

I straightened up and crossed my arms when he nodded toward me.

"After six months I may be a little rusty." I stated.

"Trip, I wanna know what you can do with machinery. Hawk, show me just how good of an athlete you are, and how you handle big guns. Jitters, sample me some of those bombs you profess to make, and give me some demonstrations. And Donna…" Her head shot up and she met his eyes. "I wanna see just how good a fighter you are."

She straightened her back and tried to look tough, like he was challenging her, and nodded her head. I looked at her and we shared a knowing look before we turned around to continue making breakfast.

"You won't be disappointed, sir." Hawk said, and then they went back to eating.

* * *

**I have just found out after some surfing on the internet, that the name Kirill is actually the name of one of Karl Urban's characters. Though I spelled the name differently, it was such a coincidence with the link between the two characters, both being Russian assassins. Really, really weird. I knew I had seen the name somewhere. Oh well... the odds of that! lol**

I'm sorry this update wasn't sooner, but for a while I didn't know what to do. I knew what I wanted to happen up until this point. The rest of the story is planned already, though, so hopefully I won't be having writer's block at all. Apologies, many many sorries. 

**Less than three reviews for the last chapter. I'm not going to beg again, only leave it alone. I'm just wondering where everyone has gone from my last story. It's like you've all vanished. Well, Doom is a small community with mild expectations, so I can't expect a lot of people to want to come back other than to reread the few stories that have been written. **

**School starts back tomorrow, and for a few months I will be extremely busy with hardly any time to write at all. That is, if I join the basketball team. Practices will be daily, and I will need to stay on top of school work. The exciting thing about it is that I will be going abroad (out of the UK) for away games. YAY! lol But yeah, during the basketball season I will truly try my very best to get weekly updates. Time will be my greatest enemy.**

**Have good day everyone! I hope that my writing is still enjoyable for those of you that still find the time to read this piece of crap lol.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

It was the most _miserable_, _utterly frustrating_, _muddiest_ run I'd ever done in my life. I knew it would be wet and muddy after that huge storm last night, but _this_ was ridiculous. Up to my crotch in mud… stuck.

Donna wasn't even bothering to help me out, only holding her stomach, bent over in laughter. How I'd gotten stuck this deep in mud was a slightly humiliating story. I simply thought that the mud couldn't get any deeper than my ankles… and then I jumped. For a second there I thought I'd never stop sinking, but luckily this was a mountain, and on a mountain there are rocks embedded in the ground. I had already tried a million times to pull myself out, but then I learned that once mud sucks you in, you're most likely gonna lose your pants getting out.

"I hate Wales." I mumbled grouchily, glaring at Donna with my arms crossed. My legs were ice cold from the water in the mud, which not only soaked my shoes but my shorts as well. Fucking great. Just fucking great.

Donna and I had decided to take a run along a footpath up the mountain for our morning exercise, while the guys took the low road at the foot of the peak. They would be covering a longer distance than us, however, so it was equally challenging. Everything went really well, till we chose to take a detour and I jumped straight into a bog.

"Alright, you've had your revenge. Can you please help me out now?" I growled at Donna. She finally straightened up and smiled at me mockingly, shrugging her shoulders and reaching a hand down. I had half a mind to drag her in, but then we'd both be stuck, and have to wait upon one of the guys to come to our rescue, which could be hours from now. Uncrossing my arms I grabbed her hand, bracing myself to be pulled out. She bent her knees and leaned back, pulling my arm as hard as she could. I was barely moving an inch.

"Put some muscle into it!" I said.

"I am! Fucker's got you sucked in tight." She said back, pulling harder now. I wiggled my legs a little to try and loosen up the mud and make it easier to get out, but nothing seemed to help. After a minute she gave up and plopped down on the ground, gasping for breath while staring at my trapped legs speculatively. "Girl, you're really in there. I don't think I can get you out by myself."

I groaned and put my face in my hands, then looked up at the dreary, cloudy sky.

"Why me? Why must these things always happen to _me_?" I mumbled to the heavens.

"I should probably get Ohanzee or Hawk to get you out. They're the fittest. Or I could get your hubby." She laughed.

"Hubby?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"Hubby, husband, boyfriend, whichever floats your boat."

"He's not my husband, Donna."

"Not yet at least."

Involuntarily I blushed at the comment, but quickly fought to compose myself before she noticed. I crossed my arms tighter over my chest and pouted at the mud.

"I don't care who you get. Just get me the fuck out of here!" I said to her, or I'd dig myself out with my bare hands. Well… it might work. Wouldn't hurt to try.

"Mud's good for the skin." She chuckled, and I glared at her again.

"I could care less if it made me immortal. It's cold, its sinking into places I don't wanna think about, and I want out!"

"Alright, alright. Chill out, K. I'll go get your hubby."

She was off before I could retort, leaving me to suffer.

"Stupid UAC, stupid mission, stupid country, stupid mountain, and stupid _mud_!" I spat down at the mud as if it could hear me. The only reply I got was the pop of an air bubble.

"Oh, shut up. You don't know shit." Suddenly I smacked myself in the head. "I am going crazy. I'm talking to _mud_!"

Fives minutes turned into twenty minutes. Twenty turned into forty, and then into an hour. My toes were getting wrinkly sitting in the water for so long, and I was shivering at how cold it was. I wished the sun would come out, but a grey cloud still hung overhead. Where the hell was she? _Probably fell into another mud hole on the way down._ _Judging by my luck lately, I wouldn't be surprised._

I was just about fed up when I heard footsteps coming up the path. Boy, was I ready to pop a cork on Donna. Leaving me for over an hour out in the cold. How could it take a full hour to find them? This was ridiculous. She was taking her revenge a little too far.

Speak of the Devil, she appeared through the ferns, John right behind her. When he saw me he just grinned, and I rolled my eyes, anticipating some more smart-ass teasing. Casually, without much hurry, he walked up and leaned down.

"Stuck in some mud, huh?" He said, and I glared at him.

"No, we got caught in an intersection and the mud was speeding. Luckily my legs have insurance from the C24 Company, and they'll recover in time for me to kick a certain Asian woman's ass." I retorted, eyeing Donna standing a few feet away looking quite passive about the whole thing.

"Was the mud drinking?" He was pulling my chain, and I wasn't in the mood.

"Jonathan Kelly Grimm!"

He winced and shrunk back mockingly.

"Get me out!" I shouted.

"Yes ma'am." He replied, holding his hand out.

"Holy shit, Kyra. You sure know how to put the man in his place." Donna chuckled.

"He doesn't have much choice when I have him by the balls." I said back, grabbing John's hand with both of mine. With astonishing ease he pulled me out of the mud, and only too late I remembered why I couldn't get out myself. Donna looked like she almost died, collapsing to the ground in laughter, and John just stared, trying desperately to keep his mouth shut. I was about ready to kill someone, and bent down to pull my shorts out of the mud and heard the faintest sound from John. I turned on him and shot needles.

"Don't you even _dare_!" I said, slipping back into my shorts. He just chuckled and grabbed me around the waste, pulling me to him and kissing my head.

"Calm down, baby." He leaned down to plant another kiss on my lips, but I turned away.

"Don't think you can kiss your fucking way out of this one."

He only grinned.

"Bet you I can." Was his reply, and before I could react he slammed his lips against mine, sliding his tongue in before I knew what happened. It was so sudden and direct that I didn't move for a few seconds; but when everything registered in my brain I tried to pull away, too moody to give into him that easy. But I couldn't pull away from his embrace, crushed against him as always, and finally just submitted. My senses were lavished by his heady, musky, male scent mixed with sweat and earthy smells. Of his warm, soft, wet lips and sweet taste of some sort of fruit he had eaten not too long ago. It tamed my anger for the time being, with him at least. Donna on the other hand…

"For God sakes, if you're gonna suck face then there's plenty of bushes around here." Her voice intruded, and John pulled away, putting his lips against my ear and sounding a low growl.

"She really is a pain in the ass." He muttered.

I looked at Donna, still sitting on the ground with her legs spread out.

"I can suck face with my hubby whenever I want." I said to her, and John looked between the both of us with a confused look on his face. His brow creased in thought and he stared at the ground. I could practically see the wheels turning in his head, and then he looked at me questioningly.

"Inside joke, Reaps. Don't hurt yourself thinking about it." I smiled, and he cocked an eyebrow. I only ever used his old nickname to get on his nerves.

"Oh, so your guy's nickname for me is… hubby?" He asked.

"Yep, similar to wifey." Donna blurted out, and I shot her a death glare. John's eyes widened in realization, and he smirked at me.

"I get it now. I must have been piss drunk cus I don't ever remember proposing to you, let alone getting married." He looked up in thought. "Yeah, I must have been drunk. I'd never dream of marrying this bitch if I were sober."

"John!" I punched him in the chest, and he rubbed it tenderly.

"Ow." He hissed mockingly, and I was about ready to do it again. Seeing it coming, he grabbed both my hands and held them.

"I was only kidding." He quickly said, and then he grinned again. "I wouldn't dream of marrying this bitch if I were drunk either."

In any normal situation I would care less about what he said. I knew he was only teasing me, but for some reason my heart wanted to take it seriously. The feeling didn't sit comfortably with me, and all of a sudden humor left me. I tried my best not to let it show, otherwise he'd see it and feel really guilty, when really it was just me feeling stupid things. But lately that thought of marriage has been tugging at the back of my mind. A thought I'm not sure I'm ready to think about just yet… especially now. Right now it's just not important.

"Dude, you'd better stop while you're ahead, cus she's about ready to go Asian on you." Donna spoke.

He pulled me to him again and wrapped his arms around my waste in a comforting hug, speaking against my ear again for only me to hear.

"You know I'm only messing with you." He kissed the sensitive spot below my ear, just at the corner of my neck, and I twitched. "I love you."

"So I've heard." I muttered back.

"How about: I'd die for you?"

"Been there, done that."

"How about-" He began a series of seductive words, all the while grazing the skin under my shirt and making me grow hot in obvious ways, but also with embarrassment. Donna was _right there_, and he was saying things that often or not led to something. Was he doing it on purpose? Surreptitiously making his claim over me to my best friend? I wondered if the two would be in competition over me. Best Friend versus Lover. That would be interesting, and extremely exhausting.

"I _am_ a married woman ya'll. I know exactly what the fuck you're doing, and I'm gonna tell you now: You two better keeps your legs closed and zippers shut while I am in the vicinity. Last time a guy came on to my best friend, the only thing he remembered was the beer bottle… _in his head_." Donna said.

I had to laugh at that picture of Donna chasing John around the mountainside with a glass bottle in her hand. Knowing her, whether he was superhuman or not, she'd catch him. Running through Hell and back, from north to south. Yep, she'd catch him.

He pulled away and looked between us again.

"What the hell is this about a guy trying to get on my woman, and her smashing a beer bottle over his head?" He smirked.

"One of the many unforgettable experiences of the Donna and Kyra adventures." I replied, and Donna laughed.

"Damn right. You should hear about the time we went to prison! Or how about when Andrew decided to come out of the closet?"

"Prison?" John asked, baffled. He'd never heard that one before.

"Alright, story time later. I would like to change and get on with the day please." I quickly said, escaping his arms and starting down the path before anything else was said on the subject. Donna only grinned and followed, leaving John rooted to the spot and staring at the ground.

"Prison?" He muttered to himself, still rolling the thought around in his head, before finally deciding it was best to just hear the story and make assumptions later. Knowing me, it was probably more complicated than that. Shaking his head slightly, he turned and caught up with us, and we descended down the mountain back to the cabin.

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The large barn near the cabin was actually a gym, I discovered, with sparring mats, workout machines, shower rooms, etc. Once changed into clean clothes and free of mud, I joined the others in the barn, circled around their LT on the sparring mats. He was briefing them on a few useful techniques when confronting any of the hostilities in Snowdon.

"In my book, there are four kinds of demons." He began. "You got the mutants, or zombies, which are the infected. Pretty damn easy to kill, not potentially dangerous compared to the other creatures you'll confront, and extremely stupid. They fight like they're drunk, clumsy, slow, and vulnerable. A single shot to the head and they're no longer a problem. _But_…" He slowly walked around, looking at the intent listeners. "They can come in huge numbers, and when least expected. It very nearly cost my life on Olduvai, so don't underestimate them, and be aware."

"Next you have the common, smaller demon, usually the fully mutated form of an infected. They got a shit load of eyes, long claws, about seven foot high, and probably the sneakiest of the demons you will encounter."

"With a few exceptions." I interrupted, remembering the snake demon that very nearly killed me twice. John nodded and continued.

"We'll call them Imps, for the time being. They're skin is tougher and their bodies are a little more resilient to weapons than a zombie, so it takes a few more shots to take one down. As long as you aim for the head, they're pretty easy to take down, but they are the ones we need to keep a close eye on. The Imps, ladies and gentlemen, are the only ones – with the exception of one other type – that can spread the infection. If they get close enough, they're tongues will latch onto your neck, digging into the skin and leaving a gaping wound before falling off. After that you will either die of blood loss, or someone will have to shoot you. Once you're infected that's it. Better to put you out of your misery than let you change into one of them."

Everyone turned their heads and met each other's eyes, wondering if they would be able to do it. To kill one of their own, despite how necessary it is. They are all soldiers, brothers, comrades, friends. Whether they are from America, Europe, or Russia, they are in it together and as a team, responsible for each other's lives. To shoot one who is infected is actually a merciful task, but many times a difficult one. I remembered it very well, having to shoot that little boy, and always I have wondered if I would have shot John too. It is something I am blessed not to have the impossible choice of doing. By the time I made my mind up, it would likely be too late. I could never willingly shoot him, not without hesitation, even if it was for his own good.

"Imps don't appear to hunt in packs, from what I've seen, but they do have a habit of coming out of the dark and in unexpected places. Obviously, I don't expect you to slack in awareness whilst on this mission, but it is nice to know what to look out for."

"Now we got the big demons. Some half as big as this barn, maybe even bigger. The point is, it's gonna take either a lot of firepower, or some serious guns and bombs to take them out quick and effectively." He looked pointedly at Jitters. "I'd like to discuss the bombs with you, Jitters, and see what you can make. We'll be needing you for sure."

Jitters nodded.

"Now, we're not sure why there are varieties of demons. Like giants, snakelike ones, rodents, and even squid. Maybe it depends on the creature that's been infected. Maybe they just came from Hell itself. We don't know. We only know they're lethal, powerful, and a bitch to kill. Kyra can certainly back me up on that one, having to closely confront some mutated dogs. Took more than a few dozen bullets before it finally dropped dead." He paused and looked very seriously at the people around him, leaving the anticipation that he was about to make a point. "That was only a dog."

"The fourth kind, are the more demonic, sometimes more exotic demons that we haven't seen yet. There are going to be lots of monsters in there that neither I nor Kyra have seen, or witnessed before. There's going to be a lot of scary things in there. It will be your worst nightmare made into reality. Pure evil, people, pure evil is what we are facing. If you didn't believe in Hell or Heaven before, you will now. Pray to God if he's on our side."

"May I speak, sir?" Kirill spoke, easily identified by his thick Russian accent. John turned to him and nodded, waiting for the assassin to continue.

"Would you mind explaining to us how you survived Olduvai?"

I wasn't sure about the tone he had used, and looked at the Russian carefully. Something told me he was up to something, trying to worm out a specific truth.

"Explain?" John questioned, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"You say you nearly died. How did you survive without medical attention? Obviously you did not check into a hospital after the incident."

"What makes you say that?" Kirill was pushing too deeply into something John wasn't sure of.

"According to your personal record, you ran and pretended to be dead after Olduvai. You didn't seek medical attention because then someone would find you. How did you survive then?"

Anger flashed in John's eyes, and the men around him began muttering to each other at Kirill's words. I felt anger boiling in the pit of my stomach also, that this man dare give away such personal information in front of the whole squad, intent on bringing out the solid truth. Also, because he even _knew_. Definitely a spy to be able to retrieve such info.

"Something about C24?" Kirill continued to taunt.

* * *

**Sorry for a later update than promised, but sophomore year in high school is a little harder than I expected, and homework has consumed most of my time. I couldn't write last weekend because I went camping. But enough of excuses. I really am trying my best, I promise. I watched Pathfinder for the first time today. It got really good in the middle, but I think a better person could have directed it. Karl did an awesome job with the character Ghost, as much as he could do, but I wish the movie delved more deeply into his past and into the character itself. In the end I think it was worth watching.  
**

**I'm glad everyone is still enjoying the humor. I can't resist putting it in there, especially when the character Donna is based off one of my friends, and we have too many funny moments together. As dark as this story will get, you can still expect humor to leak in every once in a while, like my former story. But things will get very very dark, very depressing at some points, and some more tear-jerking moments. I'm not lying when I say things will get extremely dark. I've started writing some very depressing scenes that make me cry every time I start writing them. Believe me, they will shock you. I'm shocked I came up with them.  
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**I will try to get the next update up as soon as possible, but time is not on my side. Nor is my imagination. I would really appreciate some suggestions on what scenes you might think would be nice to have before they go into Snowdon. Relationship building, info seeking, angsty scenes etc. Because for some reason I seem fresh out of ideas. Please help if you have ideas. Of course I will give credit to the people who hand those ideas to me at the end of the chapter. I always give credit where it is due.**

** Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. I need some motivation and inspiration!  
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	7. Chapter 7

Utter silence followed when John took a single, surefooted, threatening step toward Kirril. Ironically enough for his confidence before, Kirril's strong demeanor began to falter. Visibly his stance did not weaken, but in his eyes I saw that poise drowning out, and he had good reason to fear the commanding officer.

"You want to know how I survived?" John asked him lowly, and the man didn't answer. It seemed words had left him already. "I'll show you how."

He then turned and looked pointedly at Hawk, signaling him over. Unsure of his LT's intent, he hesitated for a second before standing in front of John.

"I want you to hit me." He said, and Hawk looked at him questioningly. "As hard as you can across my face. I want you to draw blood."

Though I understood what point he was trying to make, I didn't think John had to go to such an extreme to prove it. He chose Hawk because he knew he was the one here who could probably throw the hardest punch, but the marine didn't appear to believe what he was hearing from his CO.

"Do as you're told, soldier." John ordered fiercely, but still Hawk hesitated, looking at the men muttering around him. Suddenly John pushed him, making him stumble back. He seemed shocked at the hostile act, and stared wide eyed at John. "Hit me!"

Realizing that his CO was serious, and not just pulling his chain to prove a point, he decided to obey the orders. Pulling his fist back, he threw it hard at John's face. His head turned at the impact, but otherwise he seemed unfazed by the blow.

"Harder." He ordered again, and again he threw a punch, this time as hard as he could. Only this time, he doubled back in pain, holding his knuckles, looking on in confusion as not a single mark appeared on John's face.

"What the fuck?" He groaned, and John then turned to Ohanzee.

"Tackle me. Try and knock me over." He said to him, and with a single glance in my direction, the Indian ran and did a full force body tackle on John. On impact he bounced back and landed on the floor, completely shocked and bewildered for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling. John had been moved back a foot or so, but most certainly not fazed or bent back at the blow. He leaned down and helped the man up, easily pulling him to his feet.

"Alright, Kyra. Give me your best shot." John then said to me, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You want me to tackle you?" I asked, noting the now very confused looks on the squad's faces. If Ohanzee could barely faze him, what makes him think I can, was the likely thought running through their heads.

"Yep."

"I still won't be able to knock you over." I crossed my arms.

"Still the same weight, just stronger." He said to that, spreading his arms out invitingly. I couldn't believe he was asking me to do this. Tackle him in front of everyone else, for the sheer purpose of proving how strong he was.

"Isn't it easier just to tell them?"

"Just do it, Kyra."

I rolled my eyes and uncrossed my arms, looking at Donna. She was just as confused as the guys, and didn't know what to do when our eyes met. With a quiet sigh of annoyance I looked back at John and nodded my head.

"Brace yourself." I muttered to him, and he winked in reply. In less than two seconds I had charged and hit him, knocking him flying to the floor at the impact. For a moment he laid there, recovering from the blow and just how hard he'd been hit. He'd never personally had to take the brunt of my strength after the mutation, and now he knew just how strong I really was compared to him. It was a bit of a shock.

"That hard enough for you?" I smiled down at him, holding out my hand. With a slow nod he grasped it, and I pulled him up.

"Could you have hit any harder?" He muttered secretly to me.

"Maybe." Was my answer, and I walked back to my place beside Donna, who looked at me like I had grown another head. "Now, before someone really gets hurt, tell them."

After shaking off the breaking force of my tackle, he faced Kirril again. The Russian, having now seen a demonstration of what he knew was C24, lost all the stalwart serenity he had before, and was visibly looking quite nervous under John's gaze. Really his intent was not to evoke violence from the lieutenant, but only to draw out and see for himself just what these 'super humans' were capable of. His curiosity rarely got the better of him, being a trained assassin and spy, but the rumors of such a phenomenal mutation occurring in these marine survivors of Olduvai was too good to pass up, and he researched into it. Such a thing was so unbelievable that he wanted to see it all for himself. Now he secretly feared that he had gotten more than he bargained for. Donovan Kirril did not fear anything.

"C24 is what destroyed Olduvai, Kirril." John said to him. "It makes demons out of the evil, and super humans out of the supposedly 'good'. Dr. Carmack was in charge of experiments involving the C24 serum, and one day he got a hold of a human specimen. That specimen then turned into a monster, infecting the scientists and killing everything in its path."

I felt this was the time to say it all. To explain _exactly_ what happened on Olduvai, and where this all started. This was where the personal details intruded, and I wanted to say it all. To tell them about my brother.

"That specimen was William Lucas, a 24-year-old U.S. Marine, and my brother." I interrupted, slowly stepping into the circle. All eyes were on me, but mine only rested on Donna and Ohanzee, the only other people in this room who knew my brother intimately. I felt like this was being said for them.

"My brother was strapped to a gurney and injected with C24, and within the hour dramatic mutations occurred, and he changed into a demon. But it wasn't the C24 that truly changed him, but a demon possessing him, finding his mentally and physically weak body and taking over. That's how it happens. It happened to me, when on accident the serum was injected into me whilst… I lay dying in the med lab." I paused for a moment, secretly brushing John's hand. "What Carmack was trying to do was make humans super human by giving them an extra pair of chromosomes, making them super smart, super strong, and super regenerate. Say if I was cut… the wound would heal almost instantly. That's how the both of us survived and came out unscathed. Yes, we ran, we went into hiding, pretended to be dead, but only to keep UAC away from us. Any of you would have done the same, so don't make accusations."

The whole meeting turned into a full blown history lesson on Olduvai, every detail discussed. Everything we knew we passed on to them, and they were good listeners. They looked on intently, listening to every single word, rolling thoughts around in their heads, trying to imagine how this mission would be compared to Mars. The whole nightmare came together, and now they truly understood how serious this was. By the time the story had ended, it was well into the afternoon, close to the end of the day and I was starving. John dismissed the squad, and we went back to the cabin to prepare dinner. This time no one spoke, not even Donna. They all appeared reserved in their own thoughts, mostly about the mission.

Things were quiet and, if I must say, boring… until the sound of a motorcycle roared outside.

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**I know, an extremely short chapter, but this is all I could squeeze out with the time I had. I'm really sorry people, but time really isn't on my side. I'm afraid there will be more chapters of this size in the future if I can't find the free time, but at least I am trying to make weekly updates. That way you know when to expect the next chapter. A dear friend of mine, Bryan, wishes to be a part of the story since the other characters are based off friends. I think he deserves a space, since he is the only one who has seen Doom, loves it, and loves my story lol. So, with that, you can expect what the next small twist will be. Anyway, as usual, I promise to do my best with updates. When the action begins I will probably be able to write more, since I know already what I want to write on from that point. **

**Like always, please review! Motivation! Something-or-other, I really look forward to your reviews. They make me so happy! Thank you for the support, I really appreciate it, and I promise more humor will continue to flow through this story.**


	8. Chapter 8

I got up from the couch where I sat when the sound of a motorcycle roared outside, and I stood next to the window. The sun was setting, but not late enough not to see the countryside clearly. Sure enough, a black, sporty looking motorcycle was pulling into the dirt driveway outside the cabin. Its rider was dressed accordingly in a black leather suit with what looked like silver designs etched into it, as well as the helmet. From the rider's size and shape, I could tell it was a man. He was bent down to the handles, much like a racing biker's position, with his legs on the gas behind him.

John appeared behind me, peeking out at the stranger, and then walked toward the door. It was probably just someone who got lost. I followed behind him.

We stepped out onto the porch, watching the bike pull up close to the cabin and stop. I sensed someone behind me and turned, seeing Donna, and then looked back at the biker. He leaned up and set his feet down on the ground to stabilize the bike, then turned the key. An empty silence followed without the loud engine of the motorcycle to fill it, and the man's head turned to us. After a moment he put the kick stand down and got off the bike, undoing his helmet at the same time. I noticed he had a stalwart figure, a V shaped body with broad shoulders and thin waste, and the size of him spoke a fit figure too.

His helmet came off and revealed an Asian face, Filipino most likely, with a head of scruffy black hair that swerved across his forehead. The tone of his skin wasn't dark enough to be full-blooded Filipino, so he must have some white heritage from somewhere. At this distance I could even tell that he had dark, brown eyes under thick, but neat eyebrows. His face was slightly narrow, but not dramatically chiseled, only full, like his lips. Altogether, he was quite handsome.

My attention was drawn away when the man spoke, an American accent and tone of voice that somehow reminded me of Duke. It had that same kiddish tint to it.

"I'm looking for Lieutenant Grimm of the MUTT squad."

My eyes met John's for a moment.

"MUTT squad?" He said questioningly to the man.

"That's what they called you. Multi Unit Termination Team. I am in the right place, right?"

MUTT squad? Sure suits us, being a mix of quite a variety of nationalities, but Termination Team? That title better not be official.

"Yeah, I'm Lieutenant Grimm." John stepped down off the porch, standing in front of the man. He snapped his heels together and saluted in the U.S. military fashion.

"Bryan Hamilton-Brown of the U.S. Marines, reporting for duty, sir."

John looked him up and down. They were about the same height, only John was slightly larger. He watched the Asian man curiously.

"I wasn't aware of an extra recruit." He said. "What are you here for?"

"USM (United States Military) felt you needed an extra player, and I'm it, sir. I'd like to contribute my skills."

"Which are?"

"I'm a freestyle runner sir, can get anywhere pretty easy. I'm also a master in capoeira."

"Never heard of it."

"It's not necessarily widely known, but I'd be glad to demonstrate."

Again, John looked him over calculatively, sizing him up. The least UAC could have done was inform him of the new arrival, but no… they had to assume it would just be fine and dandy to throw someone new into the picture. God, he hated those people.

"You can do whatever tomorrow. Just get settled in." He said, turning and walking back up the steps. "I'll introduce you to your new squad."

Quick and with confidence, the new recruit followed right behind him, and I stepped back inside with Donna. Heads perked up from wherever they were in the room, closely watching the stranger that had entered. Bryan, seemingly unaffected by the stares and somewhat serious atmosphere, smirked slightly and nodded to the room in greeting.

"Alright guys?" He said, still holding his helmet, and I finally noticed the bag on his back. Belongings, most likely.

No one really answered him, only waited for their CO to speak.

"Apparently we're going to have another player. USM sent us some extra help. This is Bryan Hamilton-Brown of the U.S. Marines." John said not too excitedly. I could see the annoyance on his face at this little surprise.

"This is Kyra, my second in command. You'll be taking orders from her as well as me." John waved toward me, and quickly Bryan stepped forward and held his hand out.

"Nice to meet you." He said with half a smile, and I shook his hand silently. Quite a happy looking man to be a Marine. He better be as good as UAC promised these men would be.

"You can refer to her as Ice." Followed John, and our hands separated. He nodded to his LT and faced the room full of men again. Quickly he was introduced to everyone in the squad, and they nodded to Bryan in greeting, and he nodded back. But when it came to Kirril, a huge, cheeky grin appeared on his face that made me look closely at him, anticipating something amusing to happen.

"You're serious? You're name's Donovan?" He asked, and leisurely Kirril nodded. I was surprised to then hear laughter from the recruit, and stared at him curiously.

"Dude, you're a smelly, loose pussy?" He chuckled out loud.

"Excuse me?" Kirril replied, looking at him in utter disbelief.

"Looks like she has a donovan. You've never heard that before?"

"No."

"Donovan is slang for a smelly, loose pussy, man. I feel so sorry for you!"

Curls burst out laughing, and was followed briskly by many of the rest of the squad. All except Kirril and Ohanzee. Neither seemed very amused, and Kirril just looked furious.

"It does not mean that in my language! So it does not matter!" He shouted, but the others continued to laugh, and I couldn't help but pull a smile too. It was quite funny.

"Dude, chill out!" Bryan laughed back.

Kirril then looked like he was about to explode, and stood up from his seat on the couch to storm up the stairs.

"I will not stay here to be insulted!" He shouted on his way. In my opinion I think he deserved it after the stunt he pulled today, and I knew so because John didn't look as pissed as before. In fact, he almost smiled at Bryan.

"Alright boys, party's over. Curls, show him to his room." John ordered, smirking as he returned to the dining table, looking through the mission files once again.

My eyes followed the new recruit as he stepped smiling up the stairs, already exchanging words with Curls. The man laughed at something he said and slapped him on the back in a friendly gesture.

"You're alright, man." Was all I heard from Curls.

Once they disappeared into the hallway upstairs, I exchanged looks with Donna. She just shrugged her shoulders and smiled a little.

"At least he's cute." She said, taking her seat on the couch again to watch reruns of the old series of Friends. Thinking about it, I just nodded in agreement to myself and sat down with her.

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**This story may be on hold for a while, since I am having trouble keeping up with it and all my other activities. I promise to keep writing, but it could be a while before I can get back into the groove of writing this story again. Too many things going on in my life right now. Yes, I know it sucks, especially for you guys, and I'm sorry. I'll keep trying to make updates, but I just want to warn you all that it may be a while. **

**Thank you to those of you that have followed me so far (notably wurd-god and something-or-other). I appreciate it! And to you I apologize the most, because some of you have supported me since the beginning of my first story. Really really sorry about this, but I promise this story will be finished. I'm not giving up on it, trust me. **

**Please review!**


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